Sri Lankan fast bowler Muttisha Pathirana has been ruled out of the opening leg of IPL 2026 due to injury and is expected to return in mid-April.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Abhishek Nair said in the pre-season press conference that Pathirana is currently undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board and will be available only after full fitness.
It must be noted that he was ruled out of the tournament during the T20 World Cup 2026 due to a blue injury.
According to the cricket website, KKR suffered another major blow in the form of injury to Harshit Rana, who has been ruled out of the team due to a knee problem. Although he is not officially out of the IPL, the team management is mulling over his replacement.
In the meantime, Bangladesh’s fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was also released from the group and after that Zimbabwe’s Blessing Mazarbani took his place.
It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to take legal action against Zimbabwean cricketer Blessing Mazarbani.
Mazarbani signed a contract with the Indian League during the PSL season, he was to represent Islamabad in the 11th season.
