Pathirana played in Sri Lanka's 2006
ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup team. He captained the Sri Lanka U-19 side aged just 17 in an ODI Triangular Series against England and Malaysia in 2007. At the 2008
ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup he excelled by scoring 231 runs and claiming 10 wickets. Pathirana is the leading wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in U19 ODIs with a total of 64 wickets in 23 matches. He began his first class career at Colombo Cricket Club in 2008, moving to Ragama Cricket Club, before changing over to Chilaw Marians in 2012. In March 2018, he was named in Kandy's squad for the
2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament. The following month, he was also named in Kandy's squad for the
2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament. In August 2018, he was named in Kandy's squad the 2018 SLC T20 League. He was the leading wicket-taker for
Badureliya Sports Club in the
2018–19 Premier League Tournament, with 24 dismissals in nine matches. ==International career==