Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have suffered a major blow ahead of their highly anticipated IPL 2025 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), as their star pacer Matheesha Pathirana has been ruled out due to an injury. The crucial encounter is set to take place on March 28 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed that the Sri Lankan speedster, who missed CSK’s opening match against Mumbai Indians (MI), will not be available for selection in the upcoming fixture either. While Fleming acknowledged Pathirana’s absence, he refrained from disclosing specific details regarding the nature of the injury or the extent of his discomfort.
Pathirana has been a key player for CSK since his IPL debut in 2022 against Gujarat Titans, where he impressed with figures of 2/24. His breakthrough came in the 2023 season, where he played a pivotal role in CSK’s title-winning campaign, claiming 19 wickets in 12 matches. His impact continued into IPL 2024, where he took 13 wickets in just six games before a hamstring injury ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Over his three-season IPL career, Pathirana has taken 34 wickets in 20 matches, boasting an economy rate of 7.68. His most notable performance came in IPL 2024 against Mumbai Indians, where he secured four wickets for 28 runs. Unfortunately, due to his ongoing recovery, he has yet to feature in IPL 2025.
Both Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru began their IPL 2025 campaigns on a strong note. RCB dominated Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening match, while CSK outperformed Mumbai Indians. With both teams riding high on confidence, the upcoming clash promises to be a thrilling contest at Chepauk, CSK’s fortress.
RCB will be entering the match with a well-balanced squad and renewed confidence. However, they lack the strong spin attack that CSK possesses. The Chennai-based team boasts a formidable spin trio of Noor Ahmad, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who were instrumental in their previous victory over Mumbai Indians.
The rivalry between CSK and RCB has intensified over the years. In the last season, RCB knocked CSK out of the tournament, leading to intense trolling between fanbases. With revenge on their minds, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s CSK will be eager to turn the tables, while Rajat Patidar’s RCB will aim to continue their winning momentum.
Chennai Super Kings (Probable XI): Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (WK), R Ashwin, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Probable XI): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (C), Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma.
With CSK missing their ace pacer and RCB looking to build on their momentum, the upcoming clash at Chepauk is set to be an electrifying contest between two IPL powerhouses.
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