Full Name

Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara

Born

27-10-1977 Matale, Sri Lanka

Current Age

37 years old

Major Teams

Sri Lanka, Asian Cricket Council XI, ICC World XI, Kandurata, Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers

Nickname

KC Sangakkara

Batting Style

Left-hand bat

Bowling Style

Off-break 

 

 

 

 KC SANGAKKARA known as Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara with his nick name Sanga was better known to the entire world as Sangakkara, but in the cricket world he was remembered as the KING OF CLASS, is an allrounder in the fullest sense. Not only is he Sri Lanka's stylish No. 3 and increasingly slick wicketkeeper, he's also a key strategist and a clever sledger. He's the television producer's first choice for post-match soundbites and is fast becoming the public face of the team. Off the field he's a trainee lawyer, a lucid writer, a shrewd investor, and a happy husband. Tall, Elegant, Stylish, Accomplished and with Upright personality Kumar Sangakkara is the quintessential left-handed batsman who has every shot in the book of cricket, and is unafraid to play them was born to Kumari Surangana and Swarnakumara Sangakkara, an attorney-at-law at Matale, Sri Lanka on October 27, 1977 was described as one of the "most polished and prudent of batsmen" in cricket.

 

 

SANGA'S EARLY LIFE: 

 

 

 

 

Though Sanga was born in Matale he received his primary and secondary education at Trinity College, Kandy, an independent elite private boys' school situated in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Sangakkara started playing a number of sports like badminton, tennis, swimming, table tennis and cricket at the junior school as his two sisters named Thushari and Saranga, and an elder brother Vemindra, all who have made national level achievements during their school-life.After seeing his interest in sports especially in cricket the principal of the Trinity College, Leonard de Alwis, advised his mother to encourage him to concentrate on cricket.

Under coach Upananda Jayasundera, he represented his school's under-13 cricket XI. Under coach Berty Wijesinghe, Sanga played for under-15, under-17, under-19 and first XI squads.He was awarded The Trinity Lion, the most prestigious prize awarded to a Trinity sportsman, for his exceptional batting and wicket-keeping skills in the 1996 season, at the age of 19.Sanga was not only interested in playing the cricket he also involved in education and also possessed leadership qualities by accepting the challenge as the Senior Prefect (Head Boy) of school, where he did his Advanced Level examination in the Arts stream in 1996. He was also awarded the highest honour of Trinity College The Ryde Gold Medal, for the best all-round student in that year.

Actuually Sanga's sports personality is shaped by his education where he was cited as an inspiration to continue his higher education by Bangladeshi captain Mushfiqur Rahim, upon receiving his Masters degree. 

 

SANGA'S INTERNATIONAL CAREER : 

 

 

 

 • BUILDING THE MOMENTUM FROM THE START OF THE CAREER :

IN TESTS :
At the age of 22 Sangakkara made his Test debut on 20 July 2000, keeping wicket in the first fixture of a three-match series against South Africa. Sri Lanka won the match and in his side's only innings Sangakarra batted at the fall of the third wicket and scored 23 runs before he was dismissed leg before wicket by spin bowler Nicky Boje.Then Sanga started to explored all the options that are available infront of him. Then, played for the Singer Triangular Series, 2000, against South Africa scoring 199 runs, at an average of 66.33, which helped him in securing his place for the upcoming Test series against South Africa.In August 2001, India toured Sri Lanka for three Tests and in the opening match Sangakkara scored his first century. His innings of 105 not out at number three helped to set up a ten-wicket victory for Sri Lanka.He scored his first double-century against Pakistan in 2002, at the 2nd Asian Test Championship final where his team had secured the Test championship.Along with AB de Villiers, he has dominated the number one spot in the ICC Test batting rankings over the past decade. As of February 2015, Kumar Sangakkara is placed at number 1 spot with 909 points as his 938 points is the top rating points till now in the entire test cricket history in ICC test rankings. 

 

IN ODI'S:

 

 

In the same year of 2000, Sanga made his ODI debut against Pakistan at Galle, Srilanka on July 5 where he scored 35 runs from 55 balls was run out in that match where his team had won the match by 5 wickets also took one catch as a wicket keeper. Then in April 2003, hemade his first ODI century against Pakistan, in a losing effort.As of February Sanga stood 4th in the ICC ODI rankings with 823 points followed by Dilshan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sanngakara as a vice captain.

 

As Sanga's sports personality is shaped by his education is obviously an inspiration and too possesses the leadership qualities right from the childhood helped him to took the charge as a vice-captain for his team. When Sri Lanka toured Bangladesh in February 2006, due to the injury of Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene became captain while Sangakkara was made vice-captain.Later, in July 2006, Sangakkara was involved in a record-breaking partnership with Mahela Jayawardene, to set up the world record for the highset partnership in Test cricket with 624 runs in the match against South Africa.Seeing upon his incredible innings against each team and was also skilled in leading the team as a vice captain was billed as a future captain of Sri Lanka.

SANGA AS A CAPTAIN :

In February 2009, the then captain of the Sri Lankan side, Mahela Jayawardene announced that he would step down from captaincy " in the best interests of the Sri Lankan team ". He said he believed that it would give his successor around two years to build up to the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Therefore at the age of 31 and with the experience of 80 Tests and 246 ODIs, Sangakkara succeeded Jayawardene as Sri Lanka's captain in all formats of the game. Sri Lanka became runners-up in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 after winning all the game in group and knock-out stages and being defeated by Pakistan in the final inspite of his effort of 64 notout in the final. Sri Lankan team under the captaincy of Sangakkara gained momentum and won the next Tri-series in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, beating India as well. The Sri Lankans' tour of Australia proved to be very successful, in winning both the T20 and ODI series. This was Sri Lanka's first ever series victory in Australia. A month in advance of the 2011 World Cup in March, Sangakkara decided that he would resign the captaincy after the tournament. Sri Lanka reached the final of the tournament butlost it to India where he scored 48 in that match. Throughout the tournament Sangakkara was in prolific form with the bat scoring 465 runs from 9 matches and was the third highest run scorer behind team-mate Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sachin Tendulkar. Days after guiding Sri Lanka to the finals of the World Cup, Sangakkara announced to the public that he was stepping down as captain of the T20 and ODI teams. He offered to continue as Test captain if deemed necessary for transition to new skipper then Dilshan was appointed as a captain across all formats.

 SANGA'S DOMESTIC CAREER : 

 

 

Sangakkara played his domestic cricket for Nondescripts in Sri Lanka. Sangakkara has played English county cricket with Warwickshire in the 2007 County Championship. In 2010 Sangakkara was contracted to represent Lancashire in the 2010 County Championship, but never represented the club because of international commitments.But later Sanga represented for Durham and then has expressed his keenness to join English county side Surrey during the next season after the finish to the world cup 2015 where he already announced that he was going to retire from ODI's and no plans on Test retirement. 

 

SANGA IN INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE ( IPL )

 

Kumar Sangakkara has played in five seasons of the Indian Premier League. Winning bids for him in 2008 and 2011 were US$700,000 by Kings XI Punjab and US$300,000 by Deccan Chargers respectively. He was the captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team. Sangakkara has scored 1567 runs with 10 half-centuries in 62 matches in IPL.Later in 2014 edition he himself decided to not to participate in the IPL, so he didn't took the participation in the bids. 

 

SANGA IN SRILANKA PREMIER LEAGUE ( SLPL ) : 

 

 

Sri Lanka Premier League which officially started in 2012, Kumar Sangakkara was named the captain and icon player of the Kandurata Warriors franchise. Unfortunately he couldn't participate as a player in the inaugural edition in 2012 as he suffered a finger injury weeks before the tournament during a One Day International against India. However, he appeared as a television commentator during some matches.Later in the successive years in 2013 edition his team successfully entered in to the finals and was lost the match.In the champions league 2013, he gave more importance to his local team rather than playing for SRH an IPL team where he was a captain to that team and was appreciated for his decision for playing to a local team.

SANGA IN CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE ( CPL ) : 

On August 18, 2013 Sangakkarra joined the Jamaican Tallawahs of the Caribbean Premier League. He scored his first half century in the match and was awarded the man of the match in that season which ended successfully where his team had won the CPL title 2013.Later in 2014 he doesnt participated in the bidding for that season.

SANGA'S PERSONAL LIFE : 

Sanga opened a new chapter in his life: marriage to his school sweetheart Yehali. While attractive single women mourned the loss of one of the most sought-after bachelors in the country, Sangakkara started what he describes as a "crash course in responsibility". The pair had dated for over eight years since their schooldays in Kandy, their hometown in the hill-country, and formed a partnership strong enough to cope with the peculiar demands of international cricket. They have one girl and a boy: Swyree and Kavith.

Sanga spoked that Marriage gives you an instant focus. Your life is not about yourself anymore. It also gives you a very good support base. You know that whatever happens on the field - whether you win or lose - you have a place to go, and a person to be with, who will not criticise or judge you. They will be there and will support you whatever happens and keep you grounded. It is very easy to get lost in what you do now, especially where cricket is going, with money and fame and all the trappings that come with that. In my case, with Yehali, it keeps me grounded and gives me a base where I can think my life out, refocus and renew energies for the next day." 

 

 

SANGA'S CHARITY WORKS:

 

 

He is involved in a number of charity work in Sri Lanka. He is a member of the Think Wise Initiative, launched by International Cricket Council (ICC), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and UNICEF, which is aimed at raising awareness around HIV prevention and eliminating discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS. He is also a partner of the Foundation of Goodness, a charity launched by Muttiah Muralitharan.