CSK has unearthed a gem in the name of Matheesha Pathirana. The youngster is a rising star and the way he has been knitting his magic around the cricketing fans of the globe, it has been nothing short of sensational. The young man has been compared frequently to one of the greatest bowlers ever produced by the Island Nation, Lasith Malinga.
He is still to make his impact in international cricket and barring that solitary T20I, he has been more of a driving force in T20 cricket around the globe. From 18 games that he has played so far, he has bagged 20 wickets at an economy rate of 7.68 and a BBI of 3/15.
However, his new rise in the IPL 2023 for CSK has been turning heads for all the right reasons. From his performances to his imposition of himself, he is an absolute wrecker in chief of the timbre. He can generate pace upto almost 140 clicks regularly and occasionally would often go to hit the magical mark of 145 kays while generating a yorker. Here are three reasons why he is deemed as the perfect successor of Lasith Malinga.
#1 Can hit yorkers at 145 clicks
Yorker they say is the deadliest of weapons in a fast bowler’s arsenal unless it’s a reverse swinging yorker. This young lad has produced yorkers steaming in hot at 144 to 145 kays that would automatically leave a batter unsettled. The danger that comes with such fast yorkers is that even if you manage to get yourself down in time, you still stand a risk of actually hammering your toe, an aspect that would definitely not be welcomed by any batter.
#2 Extremely disciplined in his line and length
Malinga at times used to prove to be very expensive considering the deviation from his actual line and length. However, Pathirana is someone who continuously grinds in the same direction forcing the batters to be rooted to their spot without ample leeway. When the batter is crammed for room, that is where it all goes south for them and makes Pathirana a lot more effective bowler.
#3 A very reliable option in the death overs
Pathirana’s regimented discipline and his mixed use of bouncers and yorkers, make things pretty challenging for any batter to consistently bring out the unorthodox shots that we have seen in T20 cricket. Obviously being young, his strategy will need to be a lot more mature and time is the best possible solution for the same but the current mix of weapons that he has up his sleeve can prove to be extremely handy for him in leading the charge.
