Kumar Sangakkara Shines Again as Sri Lanka Seal Series

A century and a series victory—Kumar Sangakkara could not have asked for a better way to finish his one-day career in Kandy.

While his future plans are not yet fully clear, the wicketkeeper-batsman confirmed in an interview with Sky Sports that his innings of 112 in the sixth ODI would be his last in front of the people of Pallekele in 50-over cricket.

At the post-match press conference he then confirmed his intention to retire from one-day action after the World Cup next year, per Andrew Fernando of ESPN Cricinfo: "If I'm not able to play in the next World Cup when one World Cup ends, there is no point in me sticking around. All I'll end up doing is taking up the spot of another player"

Sangakkara, though, is not just another player. He is one of the finest batsmen of his generation, a world-class performer in any format of the game who shows no sign of losing his appetite for runs.

He still has plenty of games left yet in his Sri Lanka career, including the final match of the home series against England in Colombo on Tuesday.

But, at 37 years of age, it is understandable that he is looking at a future beyond the international game. A move to English county Surrey has been discussed, as per The Sun (h/t the Daily Mail).

He will certainly be playing for Sri Lanka at the World Cup in 2015, where he will be aiming to go one better after final defeats in the last two editions of the tournament.

When you consider how well Sangakkara is playing right now, having just registered his 20th ODI ton, it makes you wonder why he would even contemplate retirement.

Brute force may be helpful in limited overs cricket, but the left-hander has shown in a career that has spanned nearly 400 matches that there is a place for elegance, timing and a watertight defensive technique in ODI action.

England must be sick of the sight of Sangakkara; he has scored three centuries in the last 18 months against them, including 134 not out in the ICC Champions Trophy in the summer of 2013.

Indeed, since being dismissed for two in the series opener in Colombo, Sangakkara has amassed 419 runs at an average of 104.75.

That figure would have been considerably lower had Alastair Cook not dropped the former Sri Lanka captain on Saturday when he had 41 to his name. It proved an extremely costly miss by the under-pressure England skipper, whose day went from bad to worse when he was dismissed second ball for one run.

Sangakkara had finished up scoring at a run-a-ball rate, his calculated knock including 12 fours and two sixes.

When he was finally dismissed, caught off the bowling of Chris Jordan, the walk off saw him salute all corners of the ground in appreciation of the support he had received, surely not just on the day but throughout his long and distinguished career for his country.

Not content with his efforts with the bat, Sangakkara then played his part with the gloves as England fell well short in chasing a target of 293 they had to reach to keep the series alive and force a decider in Colombo.

He claimed four catches behind the stumps, including a smart effort to dismiss the dangerous Moeen Ali when stood up to the stumps. There was a little fortune in the diving grab that sent back Ravi Bopara, but few could say he didn’t deserve a slice of luck on his farewell appearance in his own back yard.

After James Tredwell was caught in the deep to condemn the tourists to a 90-run defeat, Sangakkara was given another standing ovation as he led the victorious Sri Lankans from the field.

His compatriots will miss him greatly once he has finally gone, and so too will the international game. Until then, however, Sangakkara still has plenty more to achieve.