CHENNAI: It was Lasith Malinga’s slower yorker in the last ball of the final that took the 2019 IPL title away from Chennai Super Kings. It hurt the franchise, but it didn’t take them too long to unearth their own slinger who can come close to being as effective as the Lankan great.
Within a year of that defeat, CSK back-room boys came across the footage of a Sri Lankan school-kid Matheesha Pathirana, the Man of the Match against Mumbai Indians on Saturday with his 3/15.
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The Kandy boy, then 17, was playing schools’ cricket and the footage that was made available to the CSK support-staff fascinated the recruitment group.
“Pathirana looked raw but had the pace…We wanted him as a net bowler, but did not get the permission from Sri Lanka Cricket,” a CSK source said.
Within a year of that defeat, CSK back-room boys came across the footage of a Sri Lankan school-kid Matheesha Pathirana, the Man of the Match against Mumbai Indians on Saturday with his 3/15.
IPL 2023 SCHEDULE | IPL 2023 POINTS TABLE
The Kandy boy, then 17, was playing schools’ cricket and the footage that was made available to the CSK support-staff fascinated the recruitment group.
“Pathirana looked raw but had the pace…We wanted him as a net bowler, but did not get the permission from Sri Lanka Cricket,” a CSK source said.
But knowing skipper MS Dhoni’s fascination for good bowlers with quirky actions, CSK didn’t give up the pursuit. It didn’t take Pathirana long to break through the ranks and after T20 stints in Lankan leagues, he was playing T10 cricket in Abu Dhabi, where members of the CSK support-staff were also present.
“Dwayne Bravo, the now CSK bowling coach, too, was playing in the league and everyone agreed he was a prospect. When Adam Milne got injured during the 2022 IPL, we decided to draft him in,” the source added.
It was only after Pathirana joined the CSK training in 2022 that skipper Dhoni saw him. He immediately liked him, but it didn’t take the captain too long to understand that he should be handled with care.
“Pathirana wasn’t played immediately but was groomed by the coaching staff…We played him in a couple of games, but the team management figured that they have a match-winner in their ranks, provided he is handled with care,” the source added.
Pathirana, since then, has made good strides in international cricket and has made a huge impact for CSK this season. With his lethal yorkers, the 20-year-old has been difficult to hit in death overs and has become an automatic selection for the team as they push for a play-off berth.
But Dhoni is already looking forward. He knows that Pathirana’s action is not conventional – he puts a huge amount of stress on his right shoulder while bowling – and the captain requested SLC on Sunday to keep him away from red-ball cricket and even ODIs.
“That’s a suggestion that Dhoni has made and it’s up to SLC whether they want to take a note of that…The physio and the trainer in our team take good care of his body so that he does not suffer injuries,” the official added.
The ball is now in SLC’s court to help their future pace spearhead have a long career.
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