(Source X)
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has clarified that he did not leverage his friendship with Dinesh Karthik to persuade him to join Paarl Royals.
On Tuesday (August 6), the Paarl Royals announced that the former India wicketkeeper-batsman will join their squad for the upcoming season of SA20. Dinesh Karthik, who retired from all forms of the game after IPL 2024, will become the first Indian player to participate in South Africa’s premier T20 league, representing Paarl Royals, the sister franchise of IPL team Rajasthan Royals.
Following the confirmation of Karthik’s signing, Kumar Sangakkara, the Royals’ Director of Cricket, stated that while he has a good relationship with Karthik, he did not use this connection to pressure him into joining the team. Sangakkara praised Karthik’s enthusiasm for the game and noted that the franchise was eager to sign him.
“It’s very unfair on DK if I had pressurized him on friendship because it’s a professional sport and you have to go where you are valued not just in terms of your ability and skill and personality but also in terms of the financials,” said Kumar Sangakkara.
“I know DK really well. He has got a great passion for the game as we saw in the last season (IPL), he was phenomenal. On his retirement and his appetite to play overseas leagues, it was a very easy choice to try and ensure that he comes to us,” he added.
Dinesh Karthik will fit in very well: Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara expressed confidence that Dinesh Karthik will be a great fit for the Royals. The Sri Lankan legend conveyed the franchise’s excitement about adding Karthik to their squad and mentioned that he is expected to thoroughly enjoy the tournament. Sangakkara also noted that the process of persuading Karthik to join the team was relatively smooth.
“I think he’ll fit in very well with the Paarl Royals and the Royals’ philosophies. We are very excited to having him on board, he’ll enjoy playing with us in that location in Paarl but also the tournament itself. Very happy he took the time to consider our offer and was very open and honest with me and the franchise so it was great we were able to sign him,” said Kumar Sangakkara.
Karthik brings extensive experience in T20 cricket and aims to make a significant impact in SA20. The right-handed batsman has represented six IPL teams over 17 seasons, including Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
With 401 T20 matches under his belt, Karthik has accumulated 7,407 runs, including 34 half-centuries. Notably, Karthik made his T20I debut in South Africa in 2006 and was part of the Indian squad that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in the same country in 2007. He will be looking to create new memories in South Africa as he joins the SA20 league.
