Why did KKR shell massive amount of Rs 18 crore for Matheesh Pathirana at IPL auction 2026?
IPL auction 2026: Matheesha Pathirana will play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR shelled out Rs 18 crore for the Sri Lankan fast bowler. But why did KKR shell such a massive amount for Pathirana? Here's the reason:
Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana will play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise shelled out a massive amount of Rs 18 crore for the youngster. For the unversed, Chennai Super Kings had released Pathirana after he failed to perform up to expectations, but he ended up receiving a salary hike. CSK had retained Pathirana for Rs 13 crore, but Pathirana will earn an additional five crore in IPL 2026. But why did KKR go heavy for the fast bowler?
Well, Dwayne Bravo seems to have played a big role in it as he enjoys working with Pathirana. Both were together at CSK, and Bravo often used to sit down beyond the boundary and track the bowler's progress while also sharing some knowledge with him. Bravo is currently the mentor of KKR.
Moreover, Bravo also tried to bring Pathirana to the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), but the latter ended up being unavailable at the last moment. However, Bravo has finally got his wish as he will reunite with Pathirana at KKR.
Who are KKR's other picks?
Kolkata Knight Riders have been the most active franchise among all other teams at the auction. They snapped Cameron Green for Rs 25.2 crore who became the most expensive foreign player in the history of IPL. Apart from him, KKR also bought Finn Allen for his base price of Rs 2 crore, which seemed to be a steal deal as the New Zealand cricketer is an explosive batter and also opens the innings. He is currently featuring in the Big Bash League (BBL) as well and is likely to be part of New Zealand's T20 World Cup squad.