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Matheesha Pathirana<\/strong>, the Sri Lankan speedster with the unique sling-shot action, was surprisingly released by Chennai Super Kings (CSK)<\/strong><\/a> ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026<\/strong> mini-auction.<\/p>\n Nicknamed \u2018Baby Malinga\u2019, his unorthodox action and pinpoint death-over yorkers made him instrumental in CSK\u2019s 2023 title win. Pathirana\u2019s release, despite his previous retention at INR 13 crore, appears to be a calculated, high-risk move by CSK management to free up significant purse space and potentially buy him back at a lower price in the auction, or a reflection of recent injury concerns and a sub-par IPL 2025 where his economy rate crept up to over 10. Given his age and specialist skill, he remains the most coveted death-bowling overseas commodity in the auction pool.<\/p>\n 1. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)<\/strong><\/p>\n KKR enters the auction with the largest war chest, holding a staggering INR<\/strong> 64.30 crore<\/b> purse remaining after releasing several high-priced players like Andre Russell<\/strong><\/a> and Venkatesh Iyer<\/strong>. This immense budget allows them to bid aggressively for marquee players without fear. KKR\u2019s current squad composition, though strong in spin, severely lacks a world-class, dedicated pace bowler, particularly one who can execute at the death. Pathirana, with his proven match-winning ability in high-pressure situations, would perfectly fill the void of a premier overseas fast bowler. KKR needs an established finisher for their bowling unit, and Pathirana fits that profile precisely, making him their top bowling target<\/b>.<\/p>\n 2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite releasing him, CSK will undoubtedly be one of the prime contenders to re-acquire Pathirana. Following the landmark trade of Ravindra Jadeja<\/strong> and Sam Curran<\/strong>, CSK still holds a massive purse of INR<\/strong> 43.40 crore<\/b>. The logic behind his release was to get him back at a cheaper price than his INR 13 crore retention cost, as they badly need bowling reinforcements after a major squad overhaul. However, the move has been labelled \u2018high-risk,\u2019 and reports indicate they are keen to buy him back. His familiarity with the team, the home conditions, and the legacy of being nurtured by MS Dhoni<\/strong> make Pathirana the ideal bowling component<\/b> for CSK\u2019s rebuild.<\/p>\n 3. Delhi Capitals (DC)<\/strong><\/p>\n Delhi Capitals possess a healthy purse of INR<\/strong> 21.80 crore<\/b> and are looking to solidify their pace attack to complement Mitchell Starc. While they retained Dushmantha Chameera, the team needs a reliable, specialist death bowler, a role where they have often faltered. Pathirana\u2019s career death-overs economy rate of 9.16<\/span>\u00a0is excellent for the IPL, and his sling action offers the kind of unusual threat that can disrupt momentum on the flat tracks of Delhi. Adding Pathirana provides DC with a second, high-impact overseas pacer<\/b> who specializes in the most crucial phase of the innings, balancing their retained spin and batting units.<\/p>\n Also READ: <\/strong>Irfan Pathan picks CSK legend MS Dhoni\u2019s ideal batting position for IPL 2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 4. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunrisers Hyderabad enters the mini-auction with INR<\/strong> 25.50 crore<\/b> remaining and a clear mandate to restructure their bowling attack, especially after trading Mohammed Shami<\/strong>. SRH\u2019s batting often fires, but their bowling unit has been heavily criticized for poor death-over execution. Having retained Pat Cummins<\/strong>, SRH needs a high-quality second overseas pacer who can handle the pressure. Pathirana would be the ideal partner for Cummins, offering a contrasting, but equally devastating, death-over option. His young age and upside align perfectly with SRH\u2019s historical strategy of investing in young, pace-bowling talents<\/b>.<\/p>\n 5. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)<\/strong><\/p>\n The defending champions, RCB, have a reasonable purse of INR<\/strong> 16.40 crore<\/b> and a significant gap in their pace attack, having released their premier Indian pacer, Renuka Singh Thakur<\/strong>. While they will likely use their RTM card on Renuka, they still require a world-class overseas pace option to support Josh Hazlewood<\/strong>. Pathirana provides a genuine point-of-difference<\/b> to their attack. If they choose not to use the RTM on Renuka, or if they decide to use their final overseas slot for a specialist pacer, Pathirana\u2019s unmatched skill at the death makes him an immediate game-changer for a team whose historic bowling issues often resurfaced in high-stakes matches.<\/p>\n Also READ: <\/strong>IPL 2026: Robin Uthappa reveals his choices for CSK\u2019s top 3 in the upcoming edition<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n5 franchises that can target Matheesha Pathirana in the IPL 2026 Auction<\/strong><\/h2>\n