Matheesha Pathirana was born on December 18, 2002, in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and is one of the greatest finds of world cricket as one of the fastest bowlers. From his unusual, slingy style of bowling-action that is reminiscent of Lasith Malinga, he has earned the nickname of ‘Baby Malinga’.
Family Background
Matheesha was born into a family full of music. His father, Anur, used to play with a band and also worked as a government employee. His mother is Shalika Pathirana, who used to play rhythm guitar for the “Salalihiniyo” band. Born into such a musical scene, Matheesha had a very music-oriented life in his early years because both parents instilled into him discipline as well as creativity. He has two elder sisters, Vishuka and Tharindi, who are also musically gifted; Vishuka is a pianist, while Tharindi plays the guitar.
Early Life and Education
Matheesha grew up in Kandy, and from early childhood, he was interested in sports. Good enough, baseball was the first sort of sport Matheesha took interest in when he was 13, as his school did not have easy access to cricket facilities. But later on, with more cricket facilities available, he developed a passion for cricket. His mother was initially against his desire to play cricket, but he never gave up practicing and training. His family later came to support him fully.
Cricketing Journey
Matheesha’s cricketing career was rich following his signing with the Nondescript Cricket Club. The uniqueness of his bowling action used to bring him to the notice of coaches and selectors alike. He represented Sri Lanka at the Under-19 Cricket World Cups in 2020 and 2022 and showed his potential at the international level. He made his international T20 debut with Sri Lanka against Afghanistan on August 27, 2022. These performances, followed by his first ODI on June 2, 2023, were again against them.
