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Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara has dismissed claims of using his friendship with Dinesh Karthik to persuade the Indian cricketer to join Paarl Royals in the SA20. On Tuesday, August 6, Paarl Royals confirmed the signing of Karthik for the upcoming season, making him the first Indian player to participate in the South African T20 league. Interestingly, Paarl Royals is the sister franchise of Karthik's former IPL team, Rajasthan Royals.
Sangakkara Clarifies Karthik's Paarl Royals' signing
Kumar Sangakkara, the Director of Cricket for Paarl Royals, has emphasized that his friendship with Dinesh Karthik played no role in the Indian cricketer's decision to join the franchise. Following the official announcement of Karthik's signing, Sangakkara clarified that while he knows Karthik well, there was no pressure exerted to secure the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman's services. Karthik, who had previously retired from all forms of cricket, has made a surprising return to the game to participate in the SA20. Sangakkara praised Karthik's unwavering passion for cricket and expressed the franchise's enthusiasm in signing him.
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"It's very unfair on DK if I had pressurized him on friendship because it's a professional sport and you have to go where you are valued not just in terms of your ability and skill and personality but also in terms of the financials," said Kumar Sangakkara, as quoted by Cricketaddictor.
"I know DK really well. He has got a great passion for the game as we saw in the last season (IPL), he was phenomenal. On his retirement and his appetite to play overseas leagues, it was a very easy choice to try and ensure that he comes to us," he added.
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Sangakkara Confident of Karthik's Success
Kumar Sangakkara expressed confidence in Dinesh Karthik's ability to seamlessly integrate into the Paarl Royals squad. The former Sri Lankan captain highlighted the franchise's excitement in acquiring Karthik's services and anticipated his enjoyment of the SA20 tournament. Sangakkara further revealed that the recruitment process was relatively smooth, indicating minimal challenges in securing Karthik's signature.
"I think he'll fit in very well with the Paarl Royals and the Royals' philosophies. We are very excited to having him on board, he'll enjoy playing with us in that location in Paarl but also the tournament itself. Very happy he took the time to consider our offer and was very open and honest with me and the franchise so it was great we were able to sign him," said Kumar Sangakkara.
Karthik Brings Wealth of Experience to SA20
Dinesh Karthik boasts an impressive resume in T20 cricket, having played for six different teams across 17 IPL seasons. With 401 T20 matches and 7,407 runs, including 34 half-centuries, to his name, Karthik brings a wealth of experience to the SA20. Interestingly, the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman made his T20I debut and was part of India's victorious 2007 T20 World Cup campaign in South Africa. As he returns to the African nation for the SA20, Karthik will be eager to create new memories on familiar grounds.
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