Matheesha Pathirana Injury- Sri Lanka Ready 2 Replacements For T20 World Cup 2026

Matheesha Pathirana. Image Credits: X

Matheesha Pathirana will likely be ruled out of action for a minimum of three weeks owing to the calf injury he sustained against Australia over the weekend. The aforementioned report indicates that the KKR star might well have to miss the remainder of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for the Sri Lanka team.

Matheesha Pathirana bowled just three deliveries before collapsing to the ground and limping off the field against Australia. With Sri Lanka prepping itself for the Super 8 stage of the tournament, Cricket Sri Lanka (SLC) is now reportedly considering ideal replacement options for young Pathirana.

Sri Lanka suffer major injury blow with Pathirana just before Super 8

As reported by a Sri Lanka journalist, SLC and the Sri Lanka team management is awaiting scan results of the injured Matheesha Pathirana. However, the team management already reckons that the speedster will be ruled out of the remainder of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The quickest bowler in the current Sri Lankan attack, SLC is now considering ideal replacement options for Pathirana. 

The board and the team management have already zeroed in on fellow quicks like Binura Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka. 

However, fast bowlers like Nuwan Thushara and Milan Rathnayake have also been considered as possible options. SLC will be expected to name an official replacement today, on February 18.

What happened to Matheesha Pathirana?

Matheesha Pathirana left the field after bowling just four deliveries in his opening over against Australia in Pallekele on February 16. The speedster suffered an injury on his left calf, and required immediate treatment from Sri Lanka physiotherapist. He spent the rest of the match receiving medical assistance in the Sri Lankan dressing room.

An official SLC statement read, “Matheesha Pathirana experienced discomfort in his left leg calf while bowling during the match and was unable to continue. He will not bowl further in this game.”

The 23-year-old started off his ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 for Sri Lanka with a match-winning spell against Ireland in Colombo. After picking up figures of 2-11 against Ireland, he went wicketless in his next two games.

While Pathirana’s latest injury puts him out of the field for at least three weeks, he will likely attain full recovery in time for the IPL 2026 season in India. The youngster was roped in by the KKR franchise back in December at the IPL 2026 auction.

Sri Lanka top Group B, to face Zimbabwe

Regardless of Matheesha Pathirana’s early injury against Australia, Sri Lanka still comprehensively won the match by eight wickets courtesy of a splendid Pathum Nissanka century. The outcome marked Sri Lanka’s third successive win, thus making them the first Group B side to qualify for the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2026.

They will now face Zimbabwe in their final Group B match of the tournament before heading into the Super 8 stage. The match will be hosted by the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 19 and the action will commence from 3:00 PM IST onwards.