Kolkata Knight Riders made a few high-profile acquisitions in the IPL 2026 auction as they entered the auction with the biggest purse.
KKR made a bold move
at the IPL 2026 auction by signing Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana for a whopping Rs 18 crore. The Sri Lankan pacer, sitting at his house, must have been doing cartwheels after his windfall. After the snub from CSK, Kolkata will be his new home next season.
The 23-year-old, released by Chennai Super Kings after a mixed IPL 2025, sparked a fierce bidding war starting from his base price of Rs 2 crore, with Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants pushing it beyond Rs 10 crore before KKR sealed the deal.
Pathirana's acquisition marks him as the most expensive Sri Lankan player in IPL history, surpassing Wanindu Hasaranga's previous record. His unique slinging action, yorker precision at over 150 km speed, and 47 wickets in 32 IPL games may have justified the investment, despite injury concerns.
But one of the striking factor in the auction was the way CSK remained uninterested in the proceedings. The Super Kings didn't bother to bid for their former star even once, which questioned the status of the player. Interestingly, Pathirana has only played only 2 T20Is in the last few months. Also, his form with CSK in IPL 2025 was poor as the Sri Lankan picked up only 13 wickets in 12 matches.
Although a section of pundits have questioned the acquisition, KKR co-owner Jahnavi Mehta is extremely positive about the signing. The 23-year-old has immense potential, and in an exclusive chat with MyKhel, Jahnavi pinpointed the reason behind their eye for Pathirana.
"I think one of the key gaps we identified last year was the lack of an experienced death bowler, and it cost us in several crucial situations. That was something we were all keen to address. Looking at the list of fast bowlers in the auction, two names stood out as ideal for plugging that hole - Pathirana, with his unique action, yorker accuracy, and pace, and Mustafizur Rahman. "
The KKR co-owner also expressed the harsh reality of the mini auction, where the players often get overpaid due to a lack of options. But similarly, the three-time champions are thrilled to have the Sri Lanka speedster on board.
"What we really needed was someone who could excel at death overs. When there's such limited supply, only Pathirana and Mustafizur truly fit that proven IPL profile with death bowling expertise. Everyone wants a reliable death bowler, so we knew it would be around 15-16 crores. We pushed a bit harder because he was a top priority, stretching to 18 crores, and we managed to secure him. We're thrilled to have him on board. "
Pathirana's fitness will be a big factor as the IPL 2026 nears. The Knight Riders also managed to buy Mustafizur Rahman, their other target in the mini auction.
