IPL 2026 Auction: Matheesha Pathirana Sold to KKR for ₹18 Crore

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Matheesha Pathirana Sold to KKR for ₹18 Crore: The IPL 2026 mini-auction is underway today in Abu Dhabi, and one of the biggest surprises of the auction has been young Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana. Known as 'Baby Malinga', this yorker specialist stunned everyone when he fetched a record-breaking bid of ₹18.00 crore.

Intense Bidding War Between KKR and LSG

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Pathirana, whose base price was only ₹2.00 crore, saw a fierce bidding war between two franchises. This bidding war was primarily between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

• The atmosphere became electric as the bidding crossed the ₹17.00 crore mark.
• Finally, KKR went all out and secured him for their team with a bid of ₹18.00 crore.

Matheesha Pathirana's Price in the Auction

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Player Name: Matheesha Pathirana

Base Price: ₹2.00 crore

Final Price: ₹18.00 crore

Buying Team: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Also Read: IPL Auction 2026 Live Updates, Complete list of sold and unsold players

Why is Pathirana so Special for KKR?

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Pathirana is known for his unusual slinging action and excellent yorkers. His biggest strength lies in the death overs, where he keeps batsmen in check with his variations in pace and pinpoint yorkers.

By spending such a huge amount on him, KKR has made it clear that they are fully committed to strengthening their bowling unit. Pathirana will now be a key weapon for KKR after the power play and in the death overs.

It will be interesting to see how the KKR team management utilizes him, but this acquisition is one of the most important and expensive deals of IPL 2026.

Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction: Venkatesh Iyer Sold to RCB for ₹7 Crore

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