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Sangakkara to bring down curtain on ODI career after 2015 World Cup
Having announced his retirement from T20 internationals, Kumar Sangakkara said that he would like to call time on his ODI career after the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
- Jayawardene also to quit T20Is after WC
"As far as ODI and Test cricket are concerned, it's hard to make a time frame. I am 36-years-old now and will be 37 during the time of the World Cup. By World Cup after that, I will be 41 and I don’t hope that I am playing then. So 2015 World Cup will be my last. It's a kind of natural progression," Sangakkara said on Sunday.
"For Test cricket, form, fitness and enjoyment factors are there for one to continue. There is no denying I am in the twilight of my career," he said.
With Mahela Jayawardene also announcing his retirement from T20 Internationals, the transition phase in Lankan cricket is about to start just like it happened in India a few years back. But Sangakkara felt that Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal are two players who will carry the Sanga-Mahela legacy.
'It is very difficult to match Sanga or Mahela's record'
"I think it's going to be fine. If you look at Thirimanne and Chandimal, they are ready to play in any form of cricket. I think that if me and Mahela decide to quit today, tomorrow or whenever we do, it's not going to make a huge difference.
"Angelo Mathews is maturing as the Test and ODI captain. Dinesh is also a young captain. Sri Lankan cricket is in very good hands," said the man who has played 122 Tests, 369 ODIs besides 50 T20 Internationals.
On his part, the team's young gun Thirimanne said winning the ongoing World T20 championship will be the best parting gift for the former captain.
"It is very difficult to match Sanga or Mahela's record. It will be a great gift if we could win the World T20 for Sanga," Thirimanne said.
According to Sangakkara, withstanding the rigours of international cricket is the key to success.
"The key is to refine the talent and make the players ready to withstand the pressures of international cricket. And it's not just for one or two years but for longer periods," he said.
Sangakkara will continue playing franchise-based T20 tourneys
Stressing on the timing of his retirement from T20s, Sangakkara said, “It wasn't too difficult really. There are no significant T20 tournaments in the near future. I think we will play just one or two T20 international games until the 2015 World Cup. Whether I would have announced it or not, this would have been my last T20 international tournament. You always hope that the day when you retire never comes but that day definitely comes," he said with a smile.
While Sangakkara is calling it quits in T20 Internationals, he will continue to play franchisee-based T20 cricket
He made no bones about the fact that financial considerations have to be seriously taken into account as far as T20 cricket is concerned.
"Firstly, I enjoy the format and that's very important. Secondly, cricket is how I make my living and hopefully that would not change for a couple of years. I know a lot of people say that that's how (T20 leagues) cricketers make their living but that is what the case is. We are professional cricketers," he said.
'With IPL, everyone knew that T20 is here to stay'
Sangakkara, who was part of the last edition of Indian Premier League, said that it has played its part in popularising the game.
"With IPL, everyone knew that T20 is here to stay. The format has created a new fan base and ICC has also done their bit to promote it."
Sri Lanka have played two finals in four editions of World T20 but Sangakkara rued having not won a single of them. They have also lost two two finals in the 50-over World Cups.
"In 2007, in South Africa, we were pretty raw but to reach the final in 2009 (England) was great. In 2012, at home again, we reached the finals but let it slip. I think in the two finals, we made enough mistakes to let it slip," he said.
Sangakkara also made a special mention about the joys of sharing the dressing room with teammates.
"Fourteen years is a long time in international cricket. You share the dressing room with a very rare group of players. These are the best memories that you can walk away with."