Kumar Sangakkara: The Sri Lankan Cricket Legend
Introduction
Kumar Sangakkara is one of the greatest wicket-keeper-batters in cricket history. Born on October 27, 1977, in Matale,
Sri Lanka, he played for Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2015. With a total of 28,016 international runs, Sangakkara remains the second-highest run-scorer across formats. His elegant left-handed batting and sharp wicket-keeping skills made him a dominant force in world cricket.
Quick Facts
Attribute Details
Full Name Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara
Born October 27, 1977 (Matale, Sri Lanka)
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Batting Style Left-handed
Bowling Style Right-arm off break
Role Wicket-keeper-batter
International Career 2000 - 2015
Test Matches 134
ODI Matches 404
T20I Matches 56
Total International Runs 28,016
Test Centuries 38
ODI Centuries 25
ICC Hall of Fame Inducted in June 2021
Early Life
Kumar Sangakkara was born in Matale, Sri Lanka, and grew up in Kandy. His father, a civil lawyer, was passionate about sports and encouraged his children to participate. Sangakkara attended Trinity College, Kandy, where he excelled in both academics and sports. Initially, he was involved in tennis and cricket, but his mother insisted that he focus on one sport. With the guidance of his school principal, he chose cricket.
At Trinity College, he played for the Under-13, Under-15, and First XI teams. In 1994, he represented Sri Lanka U-19 and played against Bangladesh U-19. He later joined Nondescripts Cricket Club, one of Sri Lanka’s top domestic teams.
Domestic Career
Sangakkara began his first-class career in 1997 with Nondescripts Cricket Club. His breakthrough moment came in 1999, when he scored 156 for Sri Lanka A* against
Zimbabwe A. This innings earned him a national team call-up in 2000.
Domestic Teams
Sangakkara played for several domestic and franchise teams across the world:
Year Team
1998–2014 Nondescripts Cricket Club
2007–2014 Kandurata
2008–2010
Kings XI Punjab (IPL)
2011–2012 Deccan Chargers (IPL)
2013
Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL)
2013–2017 Jamaica Tallawahs (
CPL)
2014 Durham (County Cricket)
2015–2017 Surrey (County Cricket)
2015–2017 Dhaka Dynamites (
BPL)
2016 Quetta Gladiators (
PSL)
2017 Karachi Kings (PSL)
2018 Multan Sultans (PSL)
He was the leading run-scorer in the 2015-16 BPL and played a crucial role in helping Surrey win the 2015 County Championship Division Two.
Personal Information
Attribute Details
Full Name Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara
Born October 27, 1977 (Matale, Sri Lanka)
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Batting Style Left-handed
Bowling Style Right-arm off break
Role Wicket-keeper-batter
National Side Sri Lanka (2000–2015)
Career Statistics
International Cricket Stats
Format Matches Runs Batting Avg 100s/50s Top Score Catches/Stumpings
Test 134 12,400 57.40 38/52 319 182/20
ODI 404 14,234 41.98 25/93 169 403/98
T20I 56 1,382 31.40 0/8 78 25/20
International Career
Sangakkara made his ODI debut on July 5, 2000, against
Pakistan and his Test debut on July 20, 2000, against
South Africa. Over the next 15 years, he became a pillar of Sri Lankan cricket.
Test Career
• Scored 12,400 runs in 134 Tests at an average of 57.40
• Registered 38 Test centuries, including a high score of 319 against Bangladesh in 2014
• Holds the fastest record to reach 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, and 12,000 Test runs
ODI Career
• Amassed 14,234 runs in 404 ODIs at an average of 41.98
• Scored 4 consecutive centuries in the 2015 Cricket World Cup, a record in World Cup history
• Holds the record for the most wicket-keeping dismissals in ODIs (482)
T20I Career
• Played 56 matches, scoring 1,382 runs
• Was part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 2014 T20 World Cup
• Named Man of the Match in the 2014 T20 World Cup final for scoring 52 against India*
Sri Lanka Vice-Captain (2006–2009)
Sangakkara was appointed Sri Lanka’s vice-captain in 2006. He served under Mahela Jayawardene, contributing significantly with both bat and strategy. During this period:
• He was part of the 2007 Cricket World Cup finalist team
• Scored 287 runs in a Test match against South Africa, setting a record 624-run partnership with Jayawardene
• Became the first Sri Lankan player to reach 938 ICC Test rankings points
Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL)
In 2012, Sangakkara was named captain of Kandurata Warriors in the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL). Unfortunately, an injury ruled him out of the tournament.
Caribbean Premier League (CPL)
Sangakkara played in the CPL from 2013 to 2017 for Jamaica Tallawahs. He was instrumental in helping them win matches with his powerful batting and experience.
IPL & Franchise Cricket
Sangakkara played in the IPL from 2008 to 2013, representing Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He later played in the CPL, BPL, PSL, and English County Cricket.
League Team Year
IPL Kings XI Punjab 2008-2010
IPL Deccan Chargers 2011-2012
IPL Sunrisers Hyderabad 2013
CPL Jamaica Tallawahs 2013-2017
BPL Dhaka Dynamites 2015-2017
PSL Karachi Kings 2017
PSL Multan Sultans 2018
Records & Milestones
• Second-highest international run-scorer (28,016 runs)
• Most dismissals as a wicketkeeper in ODIs (482)
• Most Test centuries by a Sri Lankan (38)
• First player to score 4 consecutive centuries in a World Cup (2015)
• Holds the highest-ever Test partnership (624 runs with Mahela Jayawardene)
Player Nickname: Why is he called "Sanga"?
Kumar Sangakkara is fondly known as "Sanga", a shorter and easier version of his surname. Fans and teammates used this nickname throughout his career.
Post-Retirement Career
After retiring in 2015, Sangakkara took up multiple roles:
Commentator & Analyst
• Works as a commentator for Sky Sports
• Regularly appears in cricket analysis panels
Coaching
• Became
Rajasthan Royals' Head Coach in IPL 2021
• Led Rajasthan Royals to the 2022 IPL Final
MCC President
• Became the first non-British President of the MCC in 2019
ICC Hall of Fame
• Inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2021
Latest News & Updates
• Kumar Sangakkara continues to be involved in cricket as a coach and commentator
• Recently, he came out of retirement to play club cricket for Shillingstone CC in Dorset Division 3
• He remains one of the most respected figures in world cricket
