Matheesha Pathirana changes release point ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
Matheesha Pathirana revealed that after his shoulder injury, his release point has changed, which was on display in the first T20I against England. He proved effective with the ball, even though Sri Lanka suffered a defeat.
Sri Lanka left the opening T20I against England with a loss on the scoreboard, but their fast bowlers, led by Matheesha Pathirana, offered a glimpse of promise ahead of a major tournament year. On a surface that encouraged run-making, England were restricted more than expected, keeping the contest alive deeper than the revised chase suggested.
Pathirana stood out with a four-over spell that yielded 1 for 18, a return that understated his influence. England ultimately crossed a DLS-adjusted target of 115 from 15 overs, but the 11-run margin masked how competitive the bowling effort had been.
While several seamers found the conditions unforgiving, Sam Curran and Eshan Malinga conceded at around 12 an over, and Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton both above seven, Pathirana operated at a markedly different tempo, going at just 4.5 per over. His spell blended sharp yorkers, slower length balls, and well-directed short deliveries, with speeds peaking at 148kph. Notably, two of his overs came inside the powerplay, a phase not usually associated with his role.
"Even though I've practised to bowl in the powerplay, there was no plan as such for me to bowl there today. It just so happened that our score was lower than we wanted, so it was decided that I would bowl in the powerplay,” Pathirana said after the game.
Control, often a challenge for bowlers with slingy actions, was evident. Pathirana sent down only three wides across his spell, reflecting work done after a difficult stretch marked by injuries and lost rhythm.
“Over the last year, year-and-a-half, along with my injuries, it was a challenging period. I lost my rhythm. I've worked very hard to get back to this level. And then more recently Mali aiya [Lasith Malinga] was here in Sri Lanka helping out, as well all the coaches at SLC - not just one - all of them helped me get here,” he said.
Pathirana on the change
After limited international action in 2025, shoulder issues, and his release from CSK following IPL 2025, Pathirana’s form dipped, with concerns raised about a higher release point. That change, he explained, was injury-driven and is now gradually correcting through ongoing rehabilitation.
"Yes," he responded when asked if his release point had changed. "In the recent past, I was playing with a fairly major shoulder injury. So I think my body just automatically changed the release point. Even now I am doing rehab in between matches, and I think that's why I'm seeing an improvement, and so you can see that the release point is getting to what it used to be,” he said.