Fact Check: Did New CSK Bowler Matheesha Pathirana Once Bowl At 175 KMPH?

The Chennai Super Kings have grabbed the headlines by signing Sri Lanka’s U-19 star Matheesha Pathirana as a replacement for Adam Milne ahead of their match against the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022. Pathirana has never played international cricket at the senior level, but he has the experience of playing for Sri Lanka at the U-19 level.

The right-arm fast bowler, who has earned the nickname of Junior Lasith Malinga, has represented Sri Lanka U-19s in ICC U-19 World Cup 2020 and 2022.

Here’s what the official release from IPLT20.com regarding CSK signing Matheesha as a replacement stated:

“Adam Milne’s replacement Pathirana, is a young 19-year old medium pacer from Sri Lanka who was part of Sri Lanka’s U19 World Cup squads in 2020 and 2022. He will join CSK at the price of INR 20 Lakh.”

Many fans would remember that during the ICC U-19 World Cup 2020, a player earned everyone’s attention by clocking 175kmph on the speedometer. That player is none other than Matheesha Pathirana, who clocked 175kmph on the speedometer in a match against the U-19 cricket team of India.

Matheesha Pathirana bowled fast, but the speed was not 175 kmph

While Pathirana did bowl a quick ball in that match, the exact speed of that delivery is not known. According to News Nation TV, it was a speedometer error, and the ball was not having a speed of 175 kmph.

If the speedometer was working correctly and the pace was indeed accurate then it would have been the fastest ball in cricket history. Currently, the record for the fastest ball is in the name of Shoaib Akhtar, who once bowled at 161.3 kmph, which is 100 miles per hour for the Pakistan cricket team in ICC World Cup 2003.

It will be interesting to see how Pathirana performs for CSK in IPL 2022. CSK have won only one match this year so far.