KKR vs RR: Kolkata Knight Riders continue to be without Matheesha Pathirana for their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, April 19, 2026. The 21-year-old recently joined the KKR squad after receiving his No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket and was expected to be available for selection. However, he has not been included in the playing XI for today’s match.
IPL 2026, KKR vs RR Today Match– Live Cricket Score, Full Scorecard: Click Here
The exact reason for his absence has not been officially confirmed. However, it is understood that Pathirana is yet to attain full match fitness after joining the squad.
His absence continues to be a setback for Kolkata, who are yet to register a win this season. The team’s bowling unit has struggled for consistency, particularly in the death overs.
IPL 2026 KKR vs RR Live Score Updates: Follow Here
Reports indicate he is expected to undergo a fitness assessment before being cleared for selection. If he passes the required tests, Pathirana could be available for KKR’s next match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 26.
For now, the franchise will continue with its existing bowling resources as it looks to register its first win of the season.
Toss Update
RR captain Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bat first against KKR in Match 28 of the IPL 2026.
Rajasthan made two changes to their playing XI, bringing back Shimron Hetmyer and Brijesh Sharma, while Kolkata named an unchanged side.
Playing XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Tim Seifert(w), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi
Impact Substitutes
Rajasthan Royals Impact Subs: Sandeep Sharma, Shubham Dubey, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Yash Punja
Kolkata Knight Riders Impact Subs: Manish Pandey, Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Tejasvi Singh, Navdeep Saini
