According to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the paceman injured his hamstring during the team’s T20 series in Bangladesh lately. He will be sidelined for at least four to five weeks, which means Pathirana will undoubtedly miss CSK’s first several matches.
Chennai Super Kings, the IPL’s defending champions, have been handed a severe setback as their best pacer is going to miss four to five weeks due to an injury.
The IPL is less than a week away, with the opening match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on March 22 at Chepauk.
Pathirana was injured during the second T20I against Bangladesh on March 6 in Sylhet, forcing him to leave the pitch during the play. His absence is a significant loss for CSK, especially given his strong performance in the previous IPL season. The youthful Sri Lanka pacer took 19 wickets in 12 matches and established himself as a crucial player of the side.
The recuperation time for a Grade 1 hamstring injury is normally two weeks, but his return to the club is doubtful. A source close to CSK informed PTI that the youngster’s involvement in the first few games is still doubtful. CSK will play four matches in the first two weeks of the season, and Pathirana may have to miss all of them.
It’s a major blow for MS Dhoni, who sees Pathirana as an important member of the squad. Furthermore, CSK’s lineup will suffer another setback as New Zealand opener Devon Conway is expected to miss the first part of the tournament. Conway is recovering from thumb surgery after sustaining an injury during a T20I match against Australia.
