Two Star Cricketers of Present Generation ‘say Goodbye’-Kumar
Sangakkara
By A.C. de Silva
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Kumar Sangakkara
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Before Kumar Sangakkara announced to the Cricketing World about his
decision to retire from big-time cricket, he was named as one of the
Five Cricketers of the Year (2011) by the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack,
becoming the seventh Sri Lankan to be honoured since Sidath Wettimuny
(1985) and that was not all – he also completed a outstanding ‘double’
by being named the ‘Leading Cricketer in the World in 2011’.
Sangakkara becomes the first wicket-keeper batsman to win both awards
in the same year. In earlier years Muttiah Muralitharan was the other
Sri Lankan to be named as one of the Five Cricketers of the Year, along
with Arjuna Ranatunga in 1999, but was named the Leading Cricketer in
the World seven years later, in 2006.
Kumar Sangakkara made a career – best 319 and thereby joined the
11,000 run club on the way as Sri Lanka made 587 in the game against
Bangladesh in Chittagong in February 2014.
Sangakkara maiden triple century
Left-handed Sangakkara’s maiden triple century was his ninth 200 plus
knock, leaving him in second place behind Australian legend Don Bradman
who had 12 scores of 200 or more.
In Chittagong in February this year, Sangakkara – a 36-year old
became the ninth Test batsman to reach 11,000 run mark and at a certain
time, he was ahead of India’s Sachin Tendulkar in February this year.
In the ICC Awards night earlier this year, Sangakkara got the Award
for ICC Test Cricketer of the Year, People’s Player of the Year and Sir
Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year.
ICC Test Cricketer of the Year: Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
People’s Player of the Year: Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year:
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) |
