“Dhoni is like my father, because of the support and the mentorship and the guidance he is giving me when I'm in CSK,” said the 22-year-old tearaway quick. “It’s very similar to what my father did in my home. That’s why I consider Dhoni my cricketing father.”

"Sri Lanka are banking on Matheesha Pathirana to turn around their fortunes in the upcoming T20 World Cup," cricket writer Rex Clementine wrote in The Island newspaper.

Pathirana was grabbed by Colombo Strikers for a record $120,000.

Pathirana hurt his hamstring during a stint with the Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League and was sent home to Sri Lanka to recover ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup on June 1.

“After my father, in my cricket life, he [Dhoni] plays my father’s role,” said Pathirana.

Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman failed to defend 17 runs in the final over in an ordinary outing against Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League as the five-time winner succumbed to a six-wicket defeat at the Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana picked up a wicket each to help Chennai Super Kings evade a 10-wicket loss against Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League in Lucknow on Friday.

Sri Lanka's Matheesha Pathirana took four wickets while Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman took one for 55 as Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 20 runs in a heavyweight IPL clash at the Wankhede on Sunday.

Chennai Super Kings' Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman returned to the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai against his former franchise Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) today.

Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman and Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana both made the eleven as defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League today.  

Despite his sparkling performance against RCB on debut, Mustafizur’s place in the eleven is anything but certain for CSK's match against Gujarat Titans today

Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was ruled out from the third and final T20I of the three-match series against Bangladesh in Sylhet on Saturday due to injury.

Pathirana, 21, was given man of the match honours for only his second career T20 match after two quick dismissals that left Afghanistan still short by 11 at the end of the penultimate over.

"Pathirana failed to recover from a shoulder injury sustained during a warm-up match and was subsequently ruled out of the tournament," the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement

The 20-year-old, dubbed "Baby Malinga" for his copycat style of compatriot Lasith Malinga's unorthodox action, has only played 10 ODIs and one T20 but is tipped to be amongst the tournament's breakout stars.

Both aged 20, fast bowler Pathirana and all-rounder Wellalage are undeterred by facing childhood heroes at the tournament that opens on October 5

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is known to have a keen eye for talent and the match-winning display by Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana against Bangladesh at the Asia Cup on Thursday shows the former India captain's reputation is well earned.

Pathirana, who is called "Baby Malinga" for his slinging action similar to former Sri Lankan pace ace Lasith Malinga, returned figures of 3-15 to limit five-time winners Mumbai to 139-8 in Chennai