Rishabh Pant Demanded LSG To Buy Pathirana? Sanjiv Goenka Reveals

Sri Lankan pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana became the most expensive player from his country in IPL history after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won an intense ₹18 crore bidding war at the 2026 mini-auction.

December 17, 2025: Pathirana, nicknamed ‘Baby Malinga’ for his unique slinging action, entered the auction with a base price of ₹2 crore after being surprisingly released by Chennai Super Kings (CSK). What followed was one of the most competitive bidding duels of the day in Abu Dhabi.

Fierce Competition: Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) initially drove the price past the ₹15 crore mark.

The KKR Entry: Just as DC backed out at ₹15.8 crore, KKR—armed with the auction’s largest purse—entered the fray at ₹16 crore.

The Final Blow: LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka and captain Rishabh Pant pushed their limits to ₹17.8 crore, but KKR countered with a final bid of ₹18 crore, forcing LSG to withdraw.

LSG’s “Heartbreak” and Strategic Pivot

Speaking to JioStar after the session, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka admitted that Pathirana was their “absolute priority” for the season.

“Our captain and vice-captain were both very keen on Matheesha Pathirana, as was I. We went up to ₹17.8 crore, which was our absolute limit—we didn’t have the purse to go beyond that,” Goenka explained.

Despite the “heartbreak,” LSG executed a successful backup plan by securing South African speedster Anrich Nortje at his base price of ₹2 crore later in the day. Goenka expressed satisfaction with the “well-thought-out” pivot, noting they also secured their primary spin target, Wanindu Hasaranga.

KKR’s New-Look Pace Attack

With the acquisition of Pathirana and the record-breaking signing of Cameron Green (₹25.20 crore), KKR has assembled one of the most formidable and expensive bowling units in the league. Pathirana joins a pace battery that includes Mustafizur Rahman, Harshit Rana, and Vaibhav Arora, making KKR a serious contender to reclaim the trophy in 2026.