The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are in a pickle. They can’t use one of the biggest Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction picks, Mustafizur Rahman. His replacement, Blessing Muzarabani, is no mug. But the Bangladeshi fast bowler is on a different level.
KKR’s fast bowling concerns
The issue doesn’t end there. Harshit Rana, their best domestic fast bowler, has been ruled out. The pacer from Delhi will reportedly be replaced with another quick from India’s capital, Simarjeet Singh. KKR has yet to confirm this development, but considering Harshit’s inability to walk without a stick, it seems highly likely.
But wait. There’s more. Matheesha Pathirana isn’t confirmed to play either. The unorthodox fast bowler from Sri Lanka had injured himself during the T20 World Cup 2026, and there’s no update regarding his fitness.
Will Matheesha Pathirana play IPL 2026?
Earlier today, Pathirana’s manager, Amila Kalugalage, took to social media and posted his image in KKR’s jersey. Now, some believe that it’s a sign that Pathirana will turn up for the IPL 2026 season. And this might just be correct.
According to Cricbuzz, KKR are confident that Pathirana will feature in the tournament. At this moment, it’s uncertain whether he’ll be fit for the entire duration or not. That’s why the 2-time IPL champions won’t seek any replacement for their 18 crore buy at the auction. At least, not yet.
As per the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), franchises can bring in injury replacements until the 12th match. Even if Pathirana isn’t available early on, they can wait. If, for some reason, his recovery has been delayed, they’ll have enough time to look for someone else.
KKR full squad for IPL 2026
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell✈️, Sunil Narine✈️, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Cameron Green✈️, Matheesha Pathirana✈️, Tejasvi Singh, Finn Allen✈️(wk), Karthik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Tim Seifert✈️ (wk), Rahul Tripathi, Blessing Muzarabani✈️, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra✈️, Akash Deep, Sarthak Ranjan
KKR full schedule for IPL 2026
| Match No. | Date | Day | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 29/03/26 | Sunday | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 6 | 02/04/26 | Thursday | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 12 | 06/04/26 | Monday | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 15 | 09/04/26 | Thursday | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
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