"Matheesha Pathirana will still be a hot pick ": Irfan Pathan speaks on Sri Lankan seamer ahead of IPL mini auction

New Delhi [India], December 16 : As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction approaches, franchises are gearing up to strengthen their squads with a mix of star players and promising uncapped talent. Ahead of the auction on Tuesday, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan weighed in on fast bowlers who could attract strong bids.
The 2026 auction will take place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The player list for the 2026 season auction has been finalised, with 350 players, including 240 Indian cricketers and 110 overseas.
"Look, if you talk about international fast bowlers, I think Matheesha Pathirana will still be a hot pick because of the skill level he brings, even though he's had some fitness issues and an off year. Gerald Coetzee is another interesting name -- not just for his bowling, but he can also bat down at No. 8, which adds balance. And then there's Ashok Sharma, whose speed and ability to hit the stumps make him one to watch. These three are the ones I think will be hot picks in the auction," Irfan Pathan said on JioStar.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif shared his view on all-rounder Cameron Green's selection and believes he will go to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as they plan to dominate the auction by releasing so many players to free up money.
"He'll go to KKR because their plan is to dominate the auction. They released so many players to free up money. With Cameron Green available, I think KKR will go all out -- money will dominate their bid, and they need a replacement for Russell, so he's the best fit," Kaif said.
KKR retained 12 players (2 overseas), spending a total of Rs 60.70 crores. Their caps have Rs 64.30 crores left.
List of 12 players retained: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.