Four-time IPL champion Karn Sharma announces retirement from all formats Visibly emotional and fighting back tears, Indian leg-spinner Karn Sharma announced his retirement from all formats of competitive cricket following the Kanpur Superstars’ 9-wicket defeat to the Meerut Mavericks in the UP T20 League Season 4. The 38-year-old confirmed that the reverse fixture against Meerut on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, would be his final professional game, as stated in a press release. Sharma reflected on the UP T20 League and the sudden finality of his long journey, stating, “It is actually a very good initiative. For me and others, it is a good opportunity.” He added, “The message is that... I just want to retire. I will be playing my last game on Tuesday, and I will be retiring from all formats.” When asked if he had a final message, Sharma expressed profound gratitude to the institutions and people who shaped his career. “To all those who supported me, I just want to say thanks,” he said. “My family, the BCCI, Railways, UPCA, Andhra, and all those who have supported me in this journey, I am really grateful. I will be available for coaching and all after this.” Born in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Sharma rose through the UPCA system, representing the state at the Under-14 level before establishing himself as a domestic heavyweight with Railways. Making his debut in 2007, he captured national attention during the 2012-13 season when he claimed 21 wickets at an average of 19.04 in just three Ranji Trophy matches, earning the BCCI award for the Best Under-25 Cricketer. Following in the footsteps of Praveen Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sharma became the third cricketer from Meerut to make national headlines when Sunrisers Hyderabad purchased him for ₹3.#bcci #sunrisers_hyderabad #up_t20_league #meerut_mavericks #karn_sharma
Karn Sharma Announces Retirement from International and Domestic Cricket Karn Sharma, the legspinner who represented India in four international matches, has officially retired from both international and Indian domestic cricket. The Railways bowler made the announcement on Saturday night following a UP T20 league match between Kanpur Superstars and Meerut Mavericks. His retirement comes after the conclusion of the Lucknow leg of the tournament on August 25, marking the end of his professional career. Sharma, 38, expressed his gratitude to his family, the BCCI, Railways, UPCA, Andhra, Vidarbha Cricket Association, and all supporters who contributed to his journey. He mentioned his intention to focus on coaching and other cricket-related responsibilities moving forward. Sharma’s international career spanned a brief but notable period. He made his debut in 2014, playing one Test, two ODIs, and one T20I. His Test debut came in the Adelaide Test, where he claimed two wickets in each innings. However, his international appearances were limited, with his last game being a T20I during a tour of Zimbabwe in 2015. An injury during that tour prevented him from further participation, and he never secured additional caps. Despite this, his performances in domestic cricket and the IPL earned him recognition. Sharma’s domestic career began in the 2007-08 season, where he made his first-class, List A, and T20 debuts. He quickly established himself as an allrounder, scoring a century on his Ranji Trophy debut. His breakthrough came in the 2012-13 season, when he took 21 wickets at an average of 19.04 in three Ranji matches. This impressive performance earned him the BCCI’s Best Under-25 Cricketer award. His talent caught the attention of selectors, leading to his inclusion in India’s limited-overs squad for the 2014 tour of England.#railways #bcci #karn_sharma #upca #andra
Karn Sharma calls time on international and Indian domestic career Karn Sharma has officially retired from both international and Indian domestic cricket at the age of 38, marking the end of a career that spanned nearly two decades. The legspinner, who represented India across all three formats, made his final appearance in the UP T20 League on Saturday night following the Kanpur Superstars vs Meerut Mavericks match. He will now focus on coaching and other cricket-related responsibilities after concluding his playing career. Sharma’s international career was brief but notable, with four matches for India in 2014. He made his debut in a Test against Australia, where he was selected ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin for the Adelaide Test. Though he took four wickets in that match, he did not feature in any subsequent international games. His ODI debut came in Kolkata, a match remembered for Rohit Sharma’s record-breaking 264, and he later played a T20I against England, dismissing Joe Root in Birmingham. Domestically, Sharma’s career was more extensive. He made his first-class debut for Railways in 2007 and later played for Andhra and Vidarbha before returning to Railways. His performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) were particularly impactful, earning him four titles with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, and Chennai Super Kings between 2016 and 2018. His IPL career included a stellar 2014 season, where he took 15 wickets at an economy rate of 7.42. In total, Sharma played 97 first-class matches, taking 270 wickets and scoring 2866 runs, including two centuries. His Ranji Trophy debut saw him score a century against Jammu & Kashmir. In his retirement announcement, Sharma expressed gratitude to his family, the BCCI, Railways, UPCA, Andhra, Vidarbha Cricket Association, and other supporters.#railways #bcci #up_t20_league #karn_sharma #kanpur_superstars
