IPL 2024 Matheesha Pathirana
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Matheesha Pathirana, a fast bowler known to be a favorite of captain MS Dhoni, is set to miss the initial matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 due to an injury. The Sri Lankan pacer sustained the injury during the second T20I against Bangladesh earlier this month.
The 21-year-old Pathirana emerged as a vital cog in CSK’s championship run last year, taking 19 wickets at a phenomenal average of 19.52. He has also been a part of the Sri Lankan national team, featuring in 12 ODIs and six T20Is.
Pathirana’s absence will extend beyond the Bangladesh series, as reports suggest he will not be available for the initial stages of the IPL. He is expected to rejoin the CSK squad only after receiving clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
Meanwhile, CSK bowling coach Dwayne Bravo spoke about the significance of “skill, bravery, and planning” for bowlers entrusted with the high-pressure death overs in T20 matches. Bravo, himself a legend of death bowling, highlighted the need for meticulous preparation, game awareness, and the ability to adapt in pressure situations.
“Death bowling is my speciality. In my opinion, especially in the T20 format, death overs bowling is a very important segment of the game. It requires a lot of skill, bravery and planning – from preparation in practice to thegames, match awareness, and situations,” Bravo said.
“You have to implement it in practice and get these guys to believe in philosophy and work towards it. We were the best death-bowling team last year. Now, we are looking forward to repeating the same feat. Since Shardul Thakur also came back, this gives us more depth. having depth in the squad is always a good thing,” he added.
The 17th edition of the IPL kicks off on March 22nd, with CSK opening their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a much-anticipated South Indian derby at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Pathirana’s participation in this match will depend on his recovery progress.
