“He is 42 and still, the fittest cricketer,” Matheesha Pathirana INSPIRED by MS Dhoni’s fitness and humility

The 20-year-old, who recently played for the Colombo Strikers in the 2023 Lanka Premier League (LPL), expressed his gratitude for being groomed by Dhoni-led CSK.

“He is 42 and still, the fittest cricketer,” Matheesha Pathirana INSPIRED by MS Dhoni’s fitness and humility

MS Dhoni, Matheesha Pathirana (Images via Getty)

Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana played a crucial role for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), helping him win their fifth trophy in the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He lavished massive praise on CSK skipper MS Dhoni for guiding him and shaping his career.

In the 2023 IPL, Pathirana, hailed by fans as “Baby Malinga” due to his bowling action, picked up 19 wickets from 12 matches with his best figures being 3/15 at an economy of 8.01. Pathirana played just two matches in his debut IPL season in 2022.

YouTube video

The 20-year-old, who recently played for the Colombo Strikers in the 2023 Lanka Premier League (LPL), expressed his gratitude for being groomed by Dhoni-led CSK. In the LPL, Pathirana bagged 12 wickets and was also the joint-highest wicket-taker.

“I learned a lot from Dhoni. The first thing is humbleness and that’s why he is very successful. He is 42 and still, the fittest cricketer, which is really inspiring,” Pathirana said on Sri Lanka Cricket’s YouTube channel.

Related: “It was something new to watch,” Harmanpreet Kaur claims some fans loved “game changer” WPL more than IPL

Matheesha Pathirana is grateful that MS Dhoni believed in him

"He is 42 and still the fittest cricketer," Matheesha Pathirana INSPIRED by MS Dhoni's fitness and humility
Matheesha Pathirana (Image vIa Hindustan Times)

MS Dhoni as a captain has a way of grooming the youngsters and they have often expressed how grateful they are to have played under the 42-year-old legend of the game. Pathirana said that when he went to CSK, no one knew him, claiming that Dhoni and the team’s guidance nurtured and helped him perform in every T20 game.

“As a youngster, if someone gives you confidence like that, it boosts your career,” Pathirana added. He further added that as the CSK skipper showed faith in him, he started believing that he can do anything.

Meanwhile, Dhoni has hinted at taking part in the next IPL. But his comeback will entirely depend on his fitness. Right after the conclusion of IPL, Dhoni underwent knee surgery and has been recuperating from it. 

In case you missed!