Fri Oct 04 15:05:54 UTC 2024: ## Former Sri Lankan Great Kumar Sangakkara Calls Dinesh Karthik One of the Best T20 Finishers
**Cape Town, South Africa:** Former Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara has heaped praise on retired Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik, calling him one of the best T20 finishers in the world. Sangakkara, who is the Cricket Director of Rajasthan Royals, revealed his admiration for Karthik during the player auction for the upcoming SA20 league.
Karthik, who retired from all formats of cricket earlier this year, will be representing the Rajasthan Royals in the SA20. He has a reputation for finishing matches with a flourish, having scored 7,407 runs in 401 T20 matches at a strike rate of 136.96.
“We got our first choice. We only had a couple of slots left. The auction, as always, led by Graeme Smith, was very entertaining,” said Sangakkara. “Dinesh Karthik is a fantastic finisher. He is explosive, capable, and one of the best finishers in T20 cricket around the world.”
Sangakkara highlighted Karthik’s experience and the value he brings to the team. He believes Karthik’s presence will be key in compensating for the absence of Jos Buttler, who usually performs exceptionally well at the top of the order.
Karthik’s international career was filled with success, including winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy in 2013. He represented India in 180 matches across all formats, taking 172 catches behind the stumps.
The Rajasthan Royals will kickstart their SA20 campaign on January 11th against Sunrisers Eastern Cape, with Dinesh Karthik set to play a crucial role in their quest for the title.
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