Retired IPL XI of the decade

Kumar Sangakkara (wk)

Arguably among the greatest left-handed batsman to hold the bat, Kumar Sangakkara was the bedrock of the Sri Lankan batting line-up for an extended period. He was gifted with an ability to ease into the strokes with elegance, especially his cover drive that radiated charm like none other.

The 42-year old didn’t particularly have a record to boast about in the lucrative league. However, Sangakkara’s determination and resolve at number four bodes perfectly well for any team. The Matale-born batsman played for three franchises in the overall history namely Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Deccan Chargers. The flamboyant batsman last played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013 but couldn’t fare well, scoring 120 runs in nine games.

His most productive season came in the inaugural season for the Punjab-based franchise, having scored 320 runs in 10 games at an average of 35.56. In 71 IPL games, he scored 1687 runs at an average of 25.95. As a wicketkeeper, Sangakkara took 36 catches and effected five stumpings to go with. Keeping this in mind, he will keep wickets for the Retired XI side.