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IPL 2026 Auction: After his remarkable tenure with the Chennai Super Kings came to an end, Matheesha Pathirana sent an emotional tribute for the team. At Tuesday’s IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, Pathirana was purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders for an incredible sum of Rs 18 crore after being released by CSK.

After Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore), Pat Cummins (Rs 20.5 crore), and Arshdeep Singh (Rs 18 crore), Pathirana was ranked as the third most expensive bowler in IPL history. The youthful pacer generated a fierce bidding battle during the mini auction, with the Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants originally in the hunt, but CSK chose not to bid for Pathirana. But after going to auction, the Kolkata Knight Riders were able to buy him for Rs 18 crore.

Pathirana was one of CSK’s most reliable death-bowling alternatives throughout his four IPL seasons, participating in 32 games and taking 47 wickets. The 22-year-old took to Instagram to consider the franchise’s significance to him in ways that go beyond statistics.

“From a little child with a dream to proudly donning yellow. Beyond cricket, CSK offered me faith, self-assurance, and a family I would always treasure,” Pathirana stated. After failing to reach the 50-wicket mark in the league, the right-arm bowler expressed his disappointment at not ending his time at CSK the way he had intended. “Every second I spent in yellow between 2022 and the end of 2025 molded me both as a person and as a cricket player. I’ve always wanted to make the most of my last season with CSK by giving it all I’ve got and taking 50 wickets for this amazing team. The desire and the effort were always from the heart, but I was sadly unable to make it happen.”

Pathirana expressed gratitude to the CSK management and MS Dhoni in particular.

“I am forever grateful to Dhoni bhai for the guidance and trust, Kasi sir and the management for believing in me, my teammates for standing by me like brothers, and every loyal CSK fan who supported me through every high and low,” he added in the letter.

“Chennai will always feel like home, and yellow will always have a special place in my heart.”

With 19 wickets at an average of 19.53 at the end of the season, Pathirana was instrumental in CSK’s IPL 2023 championship victory. He only participated in six games in 2024 because to injury worries, but he still claimed 13 wickets. Pathirana’s last season at CSK in 2025 was more difficult; he struggled for consistency and only got 13 wickets in 12 games.