New Delhi, May 24 -- Matheesha Pathirana's maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) concluded after just eight deliveries after the Sri Lankan was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with injury. Bought for Rs.18 crore, Pathirana wasn't available for KKR in the first half of the tournament due to an ankle injury suffered in T20 World Cup 2026.

After obtaining a No Objection Certifcate (NOC) and a fitness clearance from Sri Lankan cricket board, Pathirana joined KKR on April 19 - the day the franchise defeat Rajasthan Royals for their first win in IPL 2026. With KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane going with the winning combination, Pathirana's KKR debut in IPL was further delayed.

He finally received hi...