Five time IPL winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) launched its second player documentary series titled ‘The Making of’ in March 2025.
The second episode of the series takes fans on an inspiring and emotional journey with Sri Lankan slinger Matheesha Pathirana.
The ‘Making Of’ series offers an in-depth and personal look into the lives of the team’s star players,
tracing their journeys from childhood to their current success on the field.
The first episode was on CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Viewers will get a glimpse into Pathirana’s childhood days, how he developed his unique action and
his journey all the way to the CSK and Sri Lanka national teams, according to a CSK release.
With exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with Pathirana, his family, and childhood
coaches, ‘The Making Of Matheesha Pathirana’ offers fans an intimate view of the man with a unique
bowling action and his success story.
On his relationship with iconic MS Dhoni, Matheesha Pathirana says he is like my father because of the support, the mentorship and the guidance he gave me in CSK. So, it’s very similar to what my father did in my home. So, that’s why I consider Dhoni my cricketing father. I think I still have that video when I first met him. The time I met Mahi Bhai. I met him and shook hands with him. He told me, Hi, Mali.”
“How are you? So, that was so good. It’s very familiar to me because when we are in Sri Lanka, Mali means the younger brother. So, that kind of legend called me Mali”, he said.
On CSK retaining Pathirana ahead of the IPL 2025 Auction CSK MD KS Viswanathan said “basically, we knew that we will not be able to get a bowler of that quality in the auction. And we also knew that
if he goes into the auction, he will be going for a very high price and we may not be able to get him at that price. So that was the only decision which we could take. And we were happy that we retained him.”
On Pathirana’s unique bowling action, his childhood coach Sampath de Silva said This action is a natural action. There is no need to change the natural action. Had we changed the bowling action, perhaps we may not be speaking of a Matheesha Pathirana today. As such even to this day, I don’t change the natural action of a bowler as it is natural to them.
Each episode will feature a different player from the squad, allowing fans to experience the
journeys of these athletes beyond the cricket pitch.
