'From a boy with a dream to wearing yellow with pride, CSK gave me more than just cricket it gave me belief, confidence, and a family'
Kolkata Knight Riders made a statement at the IPL auction by securing Sri Lanka’s tearaway quick Matheesha Pathirana for Rs18 crore.
With Dwayne Bravo set to guide him in Kolkata, KKR are betting on blistering pace, pinpoint yorkers and death-over mastery to dominate at Eden Gardens.
Following the move, Pathirana penned an emotional farewell to Chennai Super Kings, crediting the five-time champions for shaping him ‘as a cricketer and as a person’.
The Sri Lankan pacer admitted there were unfinished dreams with CSK, but now turns the page as he begins a new chapter with KKR in IPL 2026.
Delhi Capitals (DC) opened the bidding for Sri Lankan speedster, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) joined the fray. Bidding intensified between LSG and DC as Pathirana's bid rose to Rs 10.4 crore. When the bid stood at Rs 15.8 crore, KKR came in at Rs 16 crore, quickly raised it to Rs 18 crore, and ultimately stole the deal.
Taking to Instagram, Pathirana wrote an emotional message to CSK, also thanking MS Dhoni, his mentor and a massive support system within the team and revealed how he wanted to complete his 50 IPL wickets with the Men in Yellow, something he could not do.
"From a boy with a dream to wearing yellow with pride, CSK gave me more than just cricket it gave me belief, confidence, and a family I will always cherish. From 2022 till the end of 2025, every moment in yellow shaped me as a cricketer and as a person. I always wanted to finish my last season with CSK on a special note, to give my best till the end and reach 50 wickets for this incredible franchise. Unfortunately, I couldn't make that happen, but the dream and the effort were always from the heart."
"I am forever grateful to Dhoni bhai for the guidance and trust, Kasi sir and the management for believing in me, my teammates for standing by me like brothers, and every loyal CSK fan who supported me through every high and low. Your love meant everything to me. Chennai will always have a special place in my heart."
"Chennai will always feel like home, and yellow will always have a special place in my heart With respect, gratitude, and pride, I now turn the page and begin a new chapter with KKR Thank you CSK. Thank you Chennai. Forever grateful," he concluded.
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