Kumar Sangakkara bids farewell to first-class cricket

The former Sri Lankan skipper, after a more than satisfying season with county cricket for Surrey, went past 20,000 first-class career runs this season and became the first Sri Lankan to reach the milestone. Despite his advancing years, his batting prowess didn’t dwindle a bit and he continued to amass runs at will in every part of the cricketing world. 

Speaking about the decision, Sangakkara told BBC, “I’ll miss it terribly, without a doubt, but that’s a good thing. A lot of players walk away bitter and upset and regretting a lot of the things that might have been. I walk away with a few regrets, like anyone would, but I’m absolutely happy with the way I played the game and what I’ve achieved. Sometimes you hold on a bit too long and I always think it’s better to let go a bit sooner than later.”

Sangakkara's decision to hang his boots also marked the epilogue of one of the finest first-class tales the game has ever seen. His numbers alone are staggering enough to put him among the all-time legends of the game - 38 Test hundreds and 64 in first-class cricket; a Test average of 57.40; more than 25,000 runs in limited overs cricket including 25 ODI hundreds for Sri Lanka. 

But it is not just the numbers that have added to his legacy, he was one of the most elegant players of his generation and one of the biggest competitors in the game. With him closing the door on his career, a golden chapter in cricket passes into history.