Dinesh Karthik. Photo- X
Dinesh Karthik. Photo- X

Dinesh Karthik, who was recently named a brand ambassador for the SA20 league, has signed with Paarl Royals and will play for the franchise in an upcoming edition of the tournament.

The SA20 will be Karthik’s first competition after declaring his retirement from “representative cricket” in June, the day he turned 39. Karthik, who has played 180 internationals for India, last appeared in IPL 2024 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who have now hired him as a consultant and batting coach.

The BCCI allows only retired Indian players to participate in abroad T20 leagues. Last year, Ambati Rayudu played for the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the CPL, while Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan represented the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. Suresh Raina competed in the Abu Dhabi T10 two years ago with the Deccan Gladiators team.

Karthik is regarded by his peers as one of the sharpest analysts due to his extensive experience in the shortest format.  He has played in 401 T20s and for six IPL clubs, including the leading Kolkata Knight Riders. Karthik was also one of the IPL’s fittest players, missing only two matches in 17 seasons.

“I have so many fond memories of playing in and visiting South Africa. When this opportunity came about, I couldn’t say no because of how special it would be to come back to playing competitive cricket and win this incredible competition with the Royals.

“Even though I didn’t have the chance to represent the Royals in the IPL, to me it was always a franchise setup and environment that was very attractive as a player. I am delighted to be joining the Paarl Royals team which oozes a lot of experience, quality and potential. I am certainly looking forward to joining the group and contributing to what should be an exciting season,” Karthik said as per ESPNCricinfo.

Dinesh Karthik an exciting signing for us: Paarl Royals’ director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara

Paarl Royals announced their retentions ahead of the new season last week, with captain David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, and Andile Phehlukwayo making the cut.

“Dinesh has served as one of the modern-day greats for India in white ball cricket, and his wealth of experience will contribute to the making of our side for Season 3. He has always proved to be a great asset for the teams he’s represented across leagues for the way he approaches the game and the impact he can make, so it’s an exciting signing for us and we look forward to having him with the group at Paarl,” Kumar Sangakkara, Royals’ director of cricket, said.

Paarl Royals squad: David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Bjorn Fortuin, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dinesh Karthik, Mitchell van Buuren, Codi Yusuf, Keith Dudgeon, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dayyaan Galiem (traded in)

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