Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara said a tearful farewell to international cricket Monday and was immediately offered the post of the island's top envoy in Britain, where he plays county cricket. Several thousand cheering fans, many of them schoolchildren waving Sri Lankan flags along with VIPs, turned out to salute Sangakkara at the end of the second Test against India in Colombo.
"You have been a great honour to Sri Lanka," President Maithripala Sirisena said in a televised ceremony at the P. Sara Oval for the formidable cricketer after the match. Sangakkara, who turns out for Surrey in English county cricket, did not directly address Sirisena's announcement about the diplomatic post, later telling reporters he had been unprepared for the gesture.
"It was a surprise, I have to go and think about it and discuss with his excellency (the president)" Sangakkara said. During the formal send-off, the 37-year-old broke down as he thanked his parents for standing by him during his 15 years of cricket. "All the support and love they showed over the years, whether I played cricket or not, whether I did well or not, the only place I could go and feel safe was home. So thank you 'amma' (mother) and 'apachchi' (father)," Sangakkara said, fighting back tears as fans cheered and clapped.
He also praised Indian captain Virat Kohli and his team for their tough opposition during his farewell match which Sri Lanka lost by 278 runs on Monday, allowing the tourists to level the series 1-1. "Thank you for not giving any quarter," he told the Indian team. "And thank you for really making it a privilege of mine to play against you," he said.
Hours after the emotional send-off, Sangakkara said he was looking forward to a "new innings" with his family.
"Thank you for the wonderful farewell," he said on Twitter. "I will miss the cricket. But my amazing wife (Yehali) and children await my innings with them. Time for family." Thousands turned out on Sunday to see Sangakkara's final international innings. But he was denied a dream end to his career when he was caught tapping a full toss to the short mid-wicket fielder for 18.
Sangakkara, the fifth highest run-getter in Test history, finished his Test career with 12,400 runs from 134 Tests at an average of 57.40. He scored 38 centuries, including a best of 319 against Bangladesh in Chittagong last year.
Scoreboard India 1st innings: 393 (L. Rahul 108, V. Kohli 78, R. Sharma 79, W. Saha 56, D. Prasad 2-84, A. Mathews 2-24, D. Chameera 2-72, R. Herath 4-81)
Sri Lanka 1st innings: 306 (K. Silva 51, L. Thirimanne 62, A. Mathews 102, A. Mishra 4-43) India 2nd innings: 325-8 declared (M. Vijay 82, A. Rahane 126, D. Prasad 4-43, T. Kaushal 4-118)
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Sri Lanka 2nd innings (72-2):
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K. Silva c Binny b Ashwin 1
D. Karunaratne b Ashwin 46
K. Sangakkara c Vijay b Ashwin 18
A. Mathews c Rahul b Yadav 23
D. Chandimal b Mishra 15
L. Thirimanne c sub (Pujara) b Ashwin 11
J. Mubarak c Kohli b I. Sharma 0
D. Prasad c Mishra b Ashwin 0
R. Herath not out 4
T. Kaushal lbw b Mishra 5
D. Chameera lbw b Mishra 4
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Extras: (lb4, w1, nb2) 7
Total: (all out, 43.4 overs) 134
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Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Silva), 2-33 (Sangakkara), 3-72 (Mathews), 4-91 (Chandimal), 5-106 (Thirimanne), 6-111 (Mubarak), 7-114 (Prasad), 8-123 (Karunaratne), 9-128 (Kaushal), 10-134 (Chameera).
Bowling: Ashwin 16-6-42-5, Yadav 7-1-18-1, I. Sharma 11-2-41-1 (nb2, w1), Mishra 9.4-3-29-3
Result: India won by 278 runs, level three-match series 1-1.
Toss: India
Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (AUS) and Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM).
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