IPL 2026: Watson — KKR has fingers crossed over Pathirana return
Kolkata Knight Riders is keeping its fingers crossed over Matheesha Pathirana’s availability, with assistant coach Shane Watson admitting that the franchise is in a “waiting game” as the Sri Lankan pacer continues his recovery from a left calf injury.
Signed for a whopping sum of Rs. 18 crore at the auction, Pathirana was among KKR’s top priorities, but Sri Lanka Cricket is yet to clear him to travel to India and join the squad.
“With Pathirana, obviously it’s a waiting game at the moment. We are being guided by Sri Lanka Cricket and we are just doing everything we can to get him over here as soon as possible,” Watson said here on Saturday, ahead of KKR’s season-opener against Mumbai Indians.
Watson stressed that the franchise is aligned with Sri Lanka Cricket in ensuring the slinging pacer returns only when fully fit. “We have got the exact same interests as Sri Lankan cricket as well. We want Pathirana to be here, we want him to be fit. We certainly would never push him any earlier than he needs to,” he said.
“The last thing that we want is him playing the first game trying to come back too early and breaking as well. He was one of our number one priorities in the auction. We know when he is at his best, the incredible skill that he has got and the difference that he provides for the batters.”
For now, KKR hope the clearance arrives soon — not just for match readiness but also to ease his integration into the squad. “We have got our fingers crossed… hopefully sooner rather than later,” Watson said.
Published on Mar 28, 2026
