Matheesha Pathirana - just like Malinga, but in CSK yellow

Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Indians (MI) versus Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In good batting conditions, the chasing team has gotten off to an excellent start. The openers are hitting the ball to all parts, they are yet to lose a wicket, the target seems within reach and the bowling side is just starting to run out of ideas.

The powerplay ends, and there is no doubt who the happier outfit is. But then, the bowling captain reveals the ace he has up his sleeve. A bowler who, in his career, has specialized in bowling at the death and when batters are coming after him.

He marks his run-up, saunters to the crease, and does not really shape up to bowl the way textbooks have taught countless young cricketers. He loads up, with his arm at a right angle (well almost) to his head, and hurls it at the batter.

The batter, who is a left-hander, would have known to prepare for this. Yet, he is a shade rushed into his shot. The ball is on the pads, there to be hit. But because of the extra speed, the extra nip, and the slingshot action, it comes onto him quicker and he cannot get under it enough.

A catch straight to mid-wicket, and there is some hope for the bowling side.

Two balls later, arguably the best T20 batter on the planet succumbs as well. He tries an outlandish uppercut (not outlandish for him, by the way). Due to the bowler’s action, though, the ball does not bounce as much as he would have wanted, and the uppercut only finds the fielder at third man.

This bowler then returns at the death, and deceives another left-handed batter with a devilish slower ball, before leaving the stumps in an absolute mess, taking out a hard-hitting opposition batter. Victory secured. Smiles put on faces in the crowd and those watching at home. Job done.

Seems…..rather familiar, no?

Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Romario Shepherd are the batters in question here. But the bowler is not Lasith Malinga. Well, at least that is what the team sheets say. This guy is someone named Matheesha Pathirana. The moment you cast a glance, though, you cannot help but escape the comparisons with Malinga.

A similar action, a similar load-up, a similar trajectory, and most importantly, a similar appetite to be there for the team when the pressure is at its crest. The only difference, at this point, is the hairdo.

Pathirana was superb for CSK against MI

Coming back to Pathirana’s spell at the Wankhede, and to his third and fourth wickets. CSK, after Pathirana’s twin strikes earlier, had stumbled into more powerful resistance, in the form of Tilak and former captain Rohit Sharma.

Mumbai, courtesy of this pair, had gotten up to 124-3 after 13 overs, and needed 87 off 42 balls, which was not beyond the realms of possibility, given the firepower they had. CSK had to introduce Pathirana at that stage, and Pathirana had to deliver. And Pathirana did deliver.

It was a slower ball that pitched on a length outside off. The 21-year-old was otherwise bowling thunderbolts, hence, Tilak had reason to believe the fifth ball of the 14th over would also be quick. It was not. At least not as fast as he thought. Pathirana rolled his fingers over the ball, and that caused it to stick to the surface, forcing Tilak to skew it up towards mid-off.

Then, with the game almost in the bag, Pathirana landed the coup de grâce, smashing Shepherd’s stumps to absolute smithereens. This one was his stock ball, tailing in late and ripping leg stump out of the turf.

That, in essence, is a primary reason why Pathirana has been successful for CSK across venues and conditions in the IPL so far. With the way he bowls, he hardly gives batters the requisite bounce to get under it, and the way he releases the ball, with the seam horizontal and almost parallel to the ground, makes it tough to gauge the line because of the tail into batters.

He also has a good head on his shoulders, and he has the backing of those around him in CSK. His role is to specifically bowl at the death and even if he is expensive, which he can be at times because of his actions and because of how young he is, they still stick by him.

This is particularly pertinent because CSK usually do not throw youngsters into the deep end, especially when they are overseas players. That they thought Pathirana was good enough, is a testament to how special the kid is, and why he has people raving about him every time he bowls.

The Malinga comparisons, thus, are not so unwarranted. Yes, it may seem a bit ridiculous, considering Malinga achieved so much for so long throughout his career, both in the IPL and for Sri Lanka. But away from the tangible resemblances, it is the stomach for a scrap that ties CSK’s newest bowling sensation to the Mumbai Indians legend.

CSK, for what it is worth, have suffered enough against Malinga. 31 wickets in 21 matches, including multiple heartbreaks in the final is lots of baggage to carry, even for the staunchest CSK fan.

Now, though, they will feel they have someone capable of inflicting that same pain. That same ability to win the game from any situation, and to stand up tall when everything around them threatens to crumble.

From that point of view, it is slightly ironic (or fitting, based on how you look at it) that Pathirana’s two best spells for CSK have come against a team that should ideally know all about bowlers with slingy actions.

Either way, CSK fans are not complaining. They enjoy their heart out when Pathirana marks out his run-up, and even when the opposition is taking the game away, they believe that Pathirana can turn things around. Almost like a magic potion. Almost like Malinga. But in CSK yellow.