Dinesh Karthik will be seen playing for the Sharjah Warriors in the upcoming ILT20 season in the UAE. The former India international joins the squad as a replacement for Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis.
In a statement, Karthik said he is thrilled to be part of the franchise and to play in Sharjah.
“I am very excited to be joining the Sharjah Warriors team for the DP World ILT20 tournament,” he said. “I know they are a young team, aspiring to achieve something special, and I am happy to be here. Sharjah is also one of those iconic stadiums every cricketer wants to play at. Being part of the Sharjah Warriors franchise is a dream come true.”
The 40-year-old brings vast experience, having played 412 T20 matches. He has scored 7,537 runs at an average of 27.01 and an impressive strike rate of 136.66, with a highest score of an unbeaten 97. He has 35 fifties to his name in this format.
Sharjah Warriors’ coach, JP Duminy, said the younger players will have plenty of opportunities to learn from Karthik’s experience.
“Dinesh Karthik is one of the most experienced players and an incredibly innovative mind when it comes to T20 cricket, and I’m chuffed to have him in our corner. The whole world has seen what he’s capable of with the bat, and his explosive batting, dynamic personality, and immense experience will surely benefit the younger players significantly throughout the tournament. I look forward to working closely with him,” Duminy said.
Former India players such as Ravichandran Ashwin and Piyush Chawla are also in the auction list, and it will be interesting to see if either of them ends up as Karthik’s teammate. The league’s first-ever auction will take place on 1 October.
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