Thursday Apr 02, 2026
Thursday Apr 02, 2026
Thursday, 18 December 2025 03:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka’s explosive opener and star batsman Pathum Nissanka has finally broken into the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he was bought by Delhi Capitals (DC) for a sum of 40 million INR (Rs. 136 million).
Nissanka’s entry into the 2026 IPL auction was imminent following his spectacular rise in all three formats of the game. He showed his hand in T20Is by scoring 107 off 58 balls in the Asia Cup match against India at Dubai, 98* off 58 balls against Zimbabwe at Rawalpindi in the Pakistan T20 Tri-Series, and three consecutive fifties in his first three matches for Gulf Giants in the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Nissanka will join Sri Lankan teammate Dushmantha Chameera, who was retained by DC.
The most interesting purchase from Sri Lanka’s viewpoint was that of fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a record figure of 180 million INR (Rs. 612 million) after he was released by Chennai Super Kings. The price was by far the highest for a player from Sri Lanka. There had been only one previous instance of a Sri Lankan cricketer fetching roughly half the price of what Pathirana got – Wanindu Hasaranga – who was bought for 10.75 million INR (Rs. 366.97 million) by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2022.
The figure also made Pathirana the second most expensive player at the 2026 auction after Australia’s Cameron Green, who was purchased for a record sum of 252 millon INR (Rs. 862.7 million). On Pathirana’s form over the past year, his purchase for a record sum comes as a bit of a surprise.
Hasaranga was the third Sri Lankan cricketer bought at the auction which was held in Abu Dhabi. He was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for 20 million INR (Rs. 6.8 million).
Although not presented at the auction, Nuwan Thushara (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Ishan Malinga, and Kamindu Mendis (both Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Dushmantha Chameera (DC) were retained by their respective franchises under the player retention system.
Thus, a total of seven Sri Lankan players will feature in the 2026 IPL.
Two other Sri Lankans Maheesh Theekshana (base price 20 million INR – Rs. 6.8 million) and Sri Lanka’s former white-ball Captain Dasun Shanaka (base price 7.5 million INR) went unsold, while seven others – Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Perera, Binura Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Viyaskantha Vijayakanth, and Traveen Matthew – failed to make the cut.
The IPL will be held from 26 March to 31 May.
