Legendary pacer Lasith Malinga was impressed by the bowling performance of fellow Sri Lankan Matheesha Pathirana in the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings(CSK). Pathirana, who was named Man of the Match, delivered exceptional figures of 4/28 in his four overs, contributing to CSK’s 20-run victory over Mumbai. Pathirana is often likened to Malinga due to his sling action, and his performance drew praise from the former Mumbai Indians bowling coach. In his post on X, Lasith Malinga wrote,
Extremely impressed with Matheesha Pathirana’s performance yesterday, despite doing it against us. He has significantly enhanced his control, line, and length. His form leading into the WC will be pivotal for SL.”
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also praised Matheesha Pathirana, referring to him as their very “own Malinga,” acknowledging the similarities in their bowling styles.
Bowling-wise, we were spot-on with our execution. Even in the powerplay, I would have taken six overs for 60. These kinds of venues demand both skills, batting and bowling…Our Malinga bowled exceptionally well and nailed those yorkers,” Gaikwad said at the post-match presentation.
CSK get their first away win this season
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s comparison of Matheesha Pathirana with Lasith Malinga is apt, given Malinga’s historic impact in the IPL, especially as a formidable opponent for CSK. Malinga, known for his lethal bowling, tops the list of wicket-takers against CSK with 37 wickets, a clear ten wickets ahead of the next bowler, Sunil Narine. Pathirana’s performance on Sunday evoked memories of Malinga’s prime as he delivered a standout bowling display. CSK, batting first, set a challenging target of 206 runs, losing only four wickets. Mumbai Indians, unable to meet this target, fell short by 20 runs, with Pathirana playing a crucial role in securing the win for his team.
Mumbai Indians began their chase positively with a strong opening partnership of 70 runs. However, Matheesha Pathirana shifted the momentum in favor of Chennai Super Kings by breaking this partnership, taking the wicket of Ishan Kishan for 23. Just two balls later, he claimed the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav for a duck. Continuing his impressive spell, Pathirana later picked up the wickets of Tilak Varma and Romario Shepherd, playing a pivotal role in securing a convincing victory for the reigning champions.
Matheesha Pathirana achieved his best figures in IPL history with this performance. The right-arm pacer has collected a total of eight wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.33 in this season. Looking ahead, Chennai Super Kings will face Lucknow Super Giants in their next match on Friday, April 19.