Matheesha Pathirana, the Sri Lanka fast bowler who Kolkata Knight Riders secured for a hefty INR 18 crore during the auction, is still yet to appear for the three-time champions in IPL 2026. Although his contract has been in place, the 23-year-old has been kept waiting, first due to an injury and then because he needed clearance through Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). While the No-Objection Certificate has now been issued, the franchise and its supporters are still in the dark over when Pathirana will actually arrive with the squad and how quickly he will be fit for selection. The delay has only added to a sense of strain around KKR’s preparations.
In the build-up to KKR’s clash with the Gujarat Titans—match number that KKR ultimately lost by five wickets—the Knight Riders’ spokesperson confirmed that Pathirana has received the NOC. However, they also said he has not joined the group yet because of “logistical reasons,” leaving the timing unclear for fans and for the team’s own planning.
That uncertainty quickly became a talking point beyond the KKR camp. After the KKR vs Gujarat Titans encounter, former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull criticised the franchise for what he described as a lack of transparency, suggesting the communication gap is feeding fresh waves of speculation around player availability. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Doull argued that franchises do not necessarily need to reveal everything, but they should provide enough clarity to prevent rumours from filling the vacuum.
“You don’t have to tell the whole truth, but just tell something partially and provide some sort of explanation. It kind of leaves you alone; there is no social media speculation, and there is no speculation from us,” Doull said. He then questioned the practicalities behind the delay, adding that “logistical reasons” sounded vague and frustratingly broad. “We are wondering if he has been picked up in the auction, we know he’s on his way, or he’s here. Logistical reasons? What? Can’t someone find the car key to get him in the car, or is there no seat on the bus for him? We can only laugh about it because we aren’t told. We just want to know when he can be available,” he added.
Doull went further, insisting that the issue should not be seen as unique to KKR. In his view, every franchise in the league faces similar problems when it comes to withholding information, and that secrecy is what keeps turning speculation into a recurring storyline. He suggested that if teams communicate updates in time, supporters would stop guessing and rumours would fade naturally.
“That’s what you always do. It’s not just KKR, it’s every team in this league. They hide things. We need to make assumptions. The franchises hide behind things, thinking it’s for the side’s benefit. It’s not. That’s where all the speculation comes from. I said it on the air during the last game, just be open, put out a message on social media. These are the reasons,” Doull said.
He also stressed that fans are not asking for trivial lifestyle details, but for clarity on squads and availability. “I don’t really want to see your players eating cake or having coffee. I would rather know who is available and who is not available. Just be open, some transparency. If you are open and honest about things, you will get some leeway, and people will go, ‘Oh, that’s a real shame,” he added.
On the match front, KKR suffered their fifth loss of IPL 2026 on Friday, going down to the Gujarat Titans by five wickets. The defeat keeps the three-time champions stuck at the bottom of the points table, and their next assignment will be against the Rajasthan Royals in an afternoon encounter on Sunday, April 19.
