Leaders Online Desk : CSK IPL 2024 : Chennai's death over specialist bowler Matheesha Pathirana will miss the opening few matches of the IPL due to a hamstring injury. The 21-year-old Sri Lankan bowler Pathirana was injured in the second T20I against Bangladesh earlier this month. He is yet to recover from this injury. Due to injury, Pathirana could not play in the third T20 match against Bangladesh. Pathirana is currently being treated by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board's physio.
The opening match of IPL will be played between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). But even before that, Chennai Super Kings got a shock in the form of fast bowler Pathirana. With Pathirana out of the opening matches of the tournament, the threat of weakening CSK's bowling has increased.
Pathirana took 19 wickets last season
Pathirana made his debut for CSK in IPL 2022. The Sri Lankan player got a chance to play 2 matches in that season. In which he took only 2 wickets at an average of 26.00. Then in IPL 2023, the then captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed faith in him and fielded Pathirana as the main bowler in 12 matches of the tournament. During this time he took 19 wickets at an average of 19.53. He took 18 of these wickets in the death overs. Thus, he became the third highest wicket-taker for CSK last season.
Conway also out with injury
Earlier, New Zealander Devon Conway has been ruled out of the first leg of IPL 2024 due to injury. In Conway's absence, there will be a change in CSK's opening pair.
Will Mustafizur Rahman get a chance?
Bangladesh left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman may get a chance to replace Pathirana for the first few matches. He will challenge the opposition as the third fast bowler along with Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur. Rahman played only 2 matches last season, in which he took 1 wicket. He has so far taken 47 wickets in 48 matches at an economy rate of 7.93 in his IPL career.