Kumar Sangakkara retired from international cricket with a mountain of runs. Apart from being one of the finest wicket-keeper batsmen in the game, he was also a great leader, leading Sri Lanka to the final of the 2009 ICC WT20 and 2011 ICC World Cup. His unfortunate runs of losses in ICC tournament finals came to an end in 2014 when he was part of the team that beat India to win the 2014 ICC WT20.
Along with former captain Mahela Jayawardene, the left-handed batsman formed the core of Sri Lanka’s batting for a good decade. Many believed Sangakkara still had some years left in him of high quality international cricket when he called time on his career.
His tally of 12,400 runs in Test cricket at an average of 57.40 puts him on the 6th spot in the list of all time highest run-getters in the longest format. He also has 14,234 runs in 404 ODIs, which is second only to the great Sachin Tendulkar.
These stats, put Sangakkara undoubtedly on the list of greatest batsmen to have ever played the game. At times, it would seem that Sangakkara’s game is so impenetrable that no bowler could get the better of him. Along with Mahela Jayawardene, the duo have often created history at the crease together.
Yet, even the greatest sportspersons ever have some weakness or the other. Federer had Nadal’s loopy forehand, Vidic had Torres who would torment him, and similarly Sangakkara had two such bowlers who would get the better of him.
In a Q&A session with fans, Sangakkara said that the two bowlers were his fellow asians in Zaheer Khan and Wasim Akram whom he thought as difficult to face.
“Wasim Akram, was a nightmare to face. Zaheer Khan I faced many times and was extremely difficult also,” he said
