Matheesha Pathirana's Cost Per Ball For KKR In IPL 2026

Pathirana cost per ball in IPL 2026 [Source: AP]Kolkata Knight Riders' season full of injuries to their squad members ended on the final day of the league phase, when the Rajasthan Royals won their afternoon clash over the Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium.KKR started the season without a win in their first 6 matches, while having only 1 point from the abandoned match against the Punjab Kings. However, they bounced back and managed to stay in contention for the final four till the final day of the regular season, but one of the most frustrating parts of their campaign was the uncertainty around Matheesha Pathirana.Matheesha Pathirana was nursing an injury from the T20 World Cup, but the Knight Riders were optimistic about his return in the middle of the season and did not name any replacements.Having swooped him in on a bumper contract in the auction, the slingy pacer was a crucial part of KKR's puzzle — more so after Harshit Rana was ruled out alongside the fiasco around Mustafizur Rahman. However, the wait and anticipation ended on a disappointing note as the player could only make a solitary appearance for them before picking up an injury again.As they move ahead with planning for the next season, we take a look at Pathirana's cost per ball in IPL 2026.Matheesha Pathirana IPL 2026 priceThe ace pacer, who has shown his fast bowling prowess for CSK and Sri Lanka at an early age, is among the finest T20 bowlers going around. He was retained by CSK ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, but after finishing 10th, he had to be released to free up some purse to rebuild the squad in IPL 2026.Also Read: "18 Crore For 8 Balls": KKR's Matheesha Pathirana Leaves Fans Frustrated After Injury On DebutHis last contract with CSK was INR 13 crore in IPL 2025, which was 6400% increase from the 2024 contract of INR 20 lakh. Upon turning up at the auction, KKR saw him as a central piece of the bowling attack and spent INR 18 crore, expecting high returns.Additionally, he received the match fee of around INR 7.5 lakh for his only appearance of the season. The total cost adds up to INR 18,07,50,000 (18.075 crore), exclusive of all taxes.How did Matheesha Pathirana perform in IPL 2026?The 23-year-old joined the KKR team in IPL 2026 at the start of May after a long wait. They treaded carefully with him and waited for the right opportunity to unleash the fast bowler at the business end of the tournament.Having missed the 11 matches of the season, he made his KKR debut on May 16 against the Gujarat Titans, which was his first appearance since February 16. Interestingly, despite the injury layoff, he started his spell with a good over, conceding only 7 runs in the powerplay, including 4 dots, two wides and a four off the over.What followed was the last thing KKR needed at that point in the season. With the season's survival on the line, he returned for the 2nd over from the same end, looking to end the powerplay well and fired a 145.5 kmph ball to Shubman Gill, but on the next ball, he stopped mid-way through his run-up and called the physio.After a brief treatment, he bowled another ball and went off, trying to avoid further damage to a suspected hamstring injury. He finished the season with 0/9 in 1.2 overs.Matheesha Pathirana's cost per ball in IPL 2026Having spent over INR 18 crore on the bowler, KKR did not get remotely close in return. While it was not a case of underperforming, both the player and the franchise suffered serious damage as Pathirana received INR 18.075 crore. His per ball cost was INR 2,25,93,750, i.e., approximately INR 2.259 crore.Considering the injury risk and big contract that Matheesha Pathirana carries, it is highly likely that KKR will end up releasing the player into the upcoming auction to fill the gaps in their squad. However, it will also depend on how the player fares in the next 5-6 months, in terms of his fitness.Also Read: Who Will Qualify For Qualifier 2 If SRH vs RR Eliminator Is Washed Out To Rain?