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Chennai Super Kings suffered a huge blow going into the last few league games of IPL 2024 as pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana is set to be ruled out the rest of the T20 league after he returned to Sri Lanka to recover from a hamstring injury.
The right-arm pacer played six matches in IPL 2024, picking up 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68.
"Chennai Super Kings wishes Pathirana a quick recovery," the CSK stated in a media release on Sunday.
Pathirana last played for CSK during their 78-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he bowled two overs and picked up the wickets of Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen.
Pathirana missed the match against Punjab Kings at Chennai on May 1 with England pacer Richard Gleeson replacing him.
The unavailability of Pathirana is a big setback to CSK as their bowling stocks have dwindled drastically in the last few days.
Pace bowling all-rounder Deepak Chahar too is set to miss the remainder of the IPL with a niggle he sustained during the match against Punjab at Chepauk.
Chahar walked off the field after bowling just two balls and Shardul Thakuar had completed the over for him.
"Deepak Chahar doesn't look good. The initial feeling wasn't great. So, I'm hoping for a more positive report when the physio and the doctor have a look," CSK coach Stephen Fleming had said after that match.
CSK will also be without Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana at least for a couple of more matches as he is expected to fly back to Sri Lanka to complete his USA visa process ahead of next month's T20 World Cup in the Americas.
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman's IPL stint too came to an end in the previous match against PBKS after he has joined the national team for the home T20I series against Zimbabwe.