New Delhi, April 15: Will he be able to continue his form? Whether he will face injuries like his idol Lasith Malinga? Because they both have similar actions and both aim to bowl yorkers consistently. Can he be better than Malinga?
All these questions continue to crop up as young Sri Lanka bowling sensation Matheesha Pathirana has evolved as the new match winner in the cricketing world. Like Malinga, he can rattle any quality batting side, when he is in rhythm.
Pathirana has been doing considerable good work and running through quality oppositions regularly in the last two years. The latest feather in his cap is the Player of the Match award, for his match-winning 4/28 majestic spell on Sunday evening against Mumbai Indians on their home turf Wankhede Stadium.
While Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are known to get the best out of their players, Pathirana has been excelling for them. After his splendid contributions in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last season, when CSK lifted the trophy again, this year too Pathirana seems to be replicating his last year's show.
Accolades, appreciations and best wishes continue to flood Pathirana. Bt the latest to add to that long list of well wishers and appreciators is none other than former Australian lethal pace bowler Brett Lee.
Lee hailed Pathirana as "once in a generation player" after his match-defining spell against Mumbai Indians on Sunday evening.
Defending 206, it was Pathirana, who led the CSK bowling department with figures of 4-28. In his game changing spell that fetched him Player of the Match award, Pathirana dismissed Ishan Kishan and got the big wicket of Suryakumar Yadav in the same over. Then he took out Tilak Varma and Romario Shepherd in the second half of the innings to derail MI's chase.
Brett Lee said, "He's a once in a generation player. Probably 2.0 in terms of the slinger (Lasith Malinga is bound to be the first one), but he's bowled beautifully once again. It's the pace he's bowling at. 150 kmph from right in front of the umpire's chest, it's a different trajectory off the wicket, out of the hand.
"He got four wickets, he's content with it. He seems like a lovely kid as well. He's going from strength to strength and that's a huge reason why the Men in Yellow are doing as well, with guys bowling as well as he is," said Lee on Jio Cinema. (With IANS support)
