Chennai Super Kings have suffered a major blow with death-bowling specialist Matheesha Pathirana returning to Sri Lanka to recover from a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of the 2024 IPL.
After missing the home game against Punjab Kings in Chennai, Pathirana was ruled out of the reverse fixture in Dharamsala on Sunday. His absence further weakens CSK, who were already without powerplay specialist Deepak Chahar. It is understood that Chahar didn't travel to Dharamsala and is awaiting scan reports in Chennai after bowling just two balls against PBKS on Wednesday.
Pathirana played just six matches for CSK in IPL 2024, taking 13 wickets at an economy rate of 7.68. He had missed the IPL 2024 opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore with a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in Sylhet in March. He is the second Sri Lankan fast bowler to be sidelined after left-armer Dilshan Madushanka, who was due to make his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians, was ruled out of the entire IPL season.
Sri Lanka's leading leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who was due to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad, had also pulled out of the entire 2024 IPL due to chronic heel pain in his left foot. Sri Lanka is yet to announce their provisional squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.
With Pathirana out of the IPL due to injury, England's Richard Gleeson, 36, is the only overseas fast bowler in the CSK squad. Mustafizur Rahman's stint with the franchise ended on May 1 and the left-arm seamer has now joined Bangladesh for the ongoing home T20I series against Zimbabwe.
Tushar Deshpande, who was sidelined with flu against PBKS at Chepauk, has recovered to be in the CSK XI for the reverse fixture in Dharamsala. Delhi's Simarjeet Singh and the Maharashtra duo of Mukesh Choudhary and Prashant Solanki were part of the impact players' bench for that match.