India, Dec. 17 -- Former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth admitted he was taken aback by Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana's big payday at the IPL 2026 auction, where Kolkata Knight Riders snapped him up for a hefty INR 18 crore. The fast bowler, known for his unorthodox action, was one of the hottest properties on the day, with Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants sparking an early bidding tussle before KKR entered the fray and eventually outmuscled Lucknow to seal the deal at a mammoth price.

Pathirana broke into the IPL in 2022 but truly announced himself a year later, emerging as a key weapon for Chennai Super Kings with 19 wickets in the 2023 season. He followed that up with another impactful run the next year, claimin...