Matheesha Pathirana has played only one game for KKR in IPL 2026.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are battling against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 65th match of the Indian Premier League 2026 on May 20. The encounter is taking place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
This is a do-or-die match for Kolkata Knight Riders, as a defeat will knock them out of IPL 2026. Ajinkya Rahane & Co. need to win their next two matches to keep their playoffs hopes alive
On the other hand, the Mumbai Indians are already eliminated from the tournament but have two more games left in the league stage. Although they won’t be able to book a berth in the playoffs, they can improve their rankings in the points table with victories.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bowl first. He revealed that they have made no changes to their playing XI. However, pacer Matheesha Pathirana was not part of the encounter.
The Sri Lankan pacer was picked as an impact player in the previous clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT). However, he could only bowl 1.2 overs in the second innings.
Later, he sustained a hamstring injury while bowling and left the field midway. He did not arrive at the field later. Hence, Pathirana was not available for tonight’s clash due to injury.
The Sri Lankan pacer missed the initial games of the tournament as he was recovering from an injury he sustained in the T20 World Cup 2026 earlier this month. He joined the KKR squad last month after receiving clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to participate in IPL 2026.