Kolkata Knight Riders have signed Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter Luvnith Sisodia as the replacement for Matheesha Pathirana, who has been struggling with injuries since the inception of IPL 2026.

The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter has featured in 13 T20 matches for Karnataka and is yet to make his IPL debut. Sisodia has previously been associated with both KKR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru and now returns to strengthen Kolkata’s squad ahead of their crucial final league-stage clash against Delhi Capitals.

Interestingly, KKR opting to bring in a batter in place of a fast bowler also signals their growing concerns around the injury to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who had been one of their standout performers this season before being ruled out with finger fracture. His absence came as a massive setback for the side during the business end of the tournament.

Matheesha Pathirana’s injury comes as major blow for KKR

Pathirana, one of the costliest signings of the IPL 2026 auction after being bought for INR 18 crore, arrived with massive expectations. Widely known as “Baby Malinga” because of his slingy action similar to legendary Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga, Pathirana built his reputation through his deadly yorkers and clever variations in the death overs.

The Sri Lankan pacer had previously enjoyed successful seasons with Chennai Super Kings and was expected to lead KKR’s pace attack this year. However, injuries continued to trouble him throughout the season.

His IPL 2026 campaign was already delayed due to a calf injury before he eventually returned to action. But during KKR’s clash against Gujarat Titans, Pathirana bowled only 1.2 overs before walking off the field with discomfort in his hamstring, eventually getting ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

KKR’s playoff hopes depend on MI vs RR result

KKR will now head into the final day of the IPL 2026 league stage heavily dependent on the afternoon clash between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

If Mumbai Indians manage to defeat Rajasthan Royals, it will open the doors for KKR to push for a top-four finish. However, KKR will still need to beat Delhi Capitals by a significant margin at the Eden Gardens to improve their chances of sneaking into the Eliminator spot.

At one stage, KKR’s campaign looked completely finished after they went winless in their opening six matches of the season. But the side produced a stunning turnaround by winning six of their last seven matches to bring themselves back into playoff contention.

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