Sri Lankan youngster Matheesha Pathirana has hailed Indian Premier League (IPL) team CSK for changing his career.
Notably, Pathirana will be seen playing for his country in the upcoming white-ball series against India beginning from July 27. Recently, Pathirana reflected on his young career and revealed how big a role CSK and MS Dhoni played in transforming his career.
The 21-year-old made his IPL debut in 2022 and scalped two wickets from two games. Following his IPL debut, he made his international debut the same year as he received his T20I cap against Afghanistan. Pathirana had a phenomenal season with the ball in the next edition picking 19 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 19.53. He further picked up 13 wickets from six games in the 2024 edition at an average of 13.
Speaking about his rapid rise in international cricket, Pathirana thanked CSK saying playing for the IPL team opened the doors for his national selection as people began recognizing him. He further called playing for CSK ‘a gift from God’ and said that sharing the dressing room with MS Dhoni was ‘very special’.
“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 knew me. Sharing the dressing room with Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is very special for youngsters like me, especially coming from Sri Lanka,” Pathirana said on Sportstar.
If we can win vs India, it will be a confidence booster: Pathirana
Further speaking ahead, the fast bowler said that it will be a good challenge to face World Champions India in the upcoming T20I series.
“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. We have a very good side and a lot of talent and potential. Unfortunately, we didn’t do well in the T20 World Cup. But if we can win this series, it will be a confidence booster for the next three years,” said Pathirana.
In the nine T20Is played so far, Pathirana has taken 14 wickets from nine matches at an average of 17.07 and an economy of 8.05. In Odis, he has 17 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 36.23 and an economy of 7.27. The youngster will be eager to play a pivotal role for his team as they take on India in a three-match T20I series beginning from July 27.