“No money can buy loyalty” – CSK’s Matheesha Pathirana shares cryptic post amid rumors of being approached by another IPL franchise

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pacer Matheesha Pathirana has shared a cryptic post amid rumors of being approached by another Indian Premier League franchise on Saturday, December 9. The Sri Lankan posted a picture on his Instagram stories with the caption:

“No money can buy loyalty”

Matheesha Pathirana's latest Instagram story.

The reaction comes days after CSK retained Pathirana for IPL 2024. During the Super Kings' 2023 IPL-winning season, the speedster picked up 19 wickets in 12 matches at an economy rate of 8.

Pathirana recently scalped two wickets in as many games during the 2023 ODI World Cup. He, however, missed several games after sustaining a shoulder injury while playing against Pakistan on October 10, and was eventually ruled out of the mega ICC event.

Prior to that, CSK’s death bowler had picked up 11 wickets in six matches at the 2023 Asia Cup.

The 20-year-old recently shared a heartwarming post amid the floods in Chennai, urging everyone to stay safe indoors. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“Stay safe, my Chennai! The storm may be fierce, but our resilience is stronger. Better days are just around the corner. Take care, stay indoors, and look out for one another.”

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“IPL opportunities have helped him mature” – Sri Lanka assistant coach credits CSK for Matheesha Pathirana’s improved game

Sri Lanka's assistant coach for the 2023 World Cup, Naveed Nawaz, recently lauded CSK and the IPL for Matheesha Pathirana’s improved bowling performances. He said, as quoted by ANI:

“IPL opportunities have helped him mature his game. At 18-19, he got to play under a captain like MS Dhoni. I am sure that Matheesha would have learnt a lot from him about handling pressure, being in the centre during big CSK games. It is a good experience."

He added:

"We identified him at an early age, CSK saw something in him and picked up, but there is a contribution of them as well.”

The Chennai-based franchise will be looking to buy a senior pacer to assist Pathirana in the upcoming IPL 2024 auction, scheduled to be held in Dubai on December 19.