Matheesha Pathirana | Source: BCCI/IPL
Matheesha Pathirana, the young Sri Lankan pacer, expressed his gratitude to the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the three-match T20I series against India, starting from July 17.
Pathirana, who is merely 21, has rapidly impacted the cricketing world, and he attributes much of his success to the Chennai Super Kings, the first franchise to spot him.
Pathirana mentioned that during his under-19 days, he was relatively unknown and not selected for the Sri Lanka squad. However, after joining CSK, he earned a spot in the Sri Lanka team and has become a regular.
He called the Chennai Super Kings a blessing from God and highlighted the special experience of being in the same dressing room as the iconic Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
“After my under-19s, I was not in any squads in Sri Lanka. But since my debut for CSK, I got those chances and got selected for Sri Lanka’s main team. Playing for CSK is a gift from God for me. Until I played for CSK, not many people knew me. Sharing the dressing room with Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is very special for youngsters like me, especially coming from Sri Lanka,” Pathirana was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
Regarding the upcoming series against India, Pathirana showed his complete confidence in his team and emphasized the need to bounce back, particularly after their disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2024.
”I think it will be a good challenge. India is coming with a new coach and some new players; their combination will be slightly different. But it will be a good challenge for us because they are world champions,” Pathirana added.
After the three-match T20I series, India will also lock horns with Sri Lanka in the three-match ODI series, starting from August 2nd.
