Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) pacer Matheesha Pathirana is set to miss the upcoming IPL 2025 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 28 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed Pathirana’s unavailability, stating that the fast bowler is currently recovering from an injury.
The specific nature of Pathirana’s injury has not been officially disclosed. However, reports suggest that he may have sustained a minor injury while modifying his bowling action. An official statement from the franchise is awaited.
Pathirana had also missed CSK’s opening match of the season against Mumbai Indians due to fitness concerns. His absence is a significant setback for CSK, as he played a crucial role in their previous campaigns with his express pace and death-over expertise.
The team management and fans are hopeful for his swift recovery so that he can return to the playing XI soon.
BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR IS BACK TO BUSINESS
RCB received a big boost as their experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is all set to play after missing the opening game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) due to a minor injury. He has now fully recovered and was seen bowling at full speed in practice.
Bhuvneshwar’s absence was felt, especially in the powerplay and death overs. But with his return, RCB’s bowling attack looks much stronger. His ability to swing the ball early on and bowl tight overs at the end makes him a key player for the team.
RCB mentor Dinesh Karthik confirmed that Bhuvneshwar is fully fit, saying, “As far as I know, there are no issues.”