Kumar Sangakkara to retire from all forms of the game after ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

                                                     Kumar Sangakkara to retire after the World Cup.

According to sources in Daily Mail, Sri Lanka's batting giant and middle-order stalwart, Kumar Sangakkara, is said to be contemplating hanging up his boots after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which will be jointly hosted by New Zealand and Australia. 

Should reports emerge true, Sangakkara, widely regarded as the greatest cricketer produced by Sri Lanka, would play for a final time in front of his home fans when Sri Lanka take on the visiting English side in a 7-match One Day International Series starting November 26th.

Sources from Sri Lanka cricket reportedly believe that the former captain conveyed his decision to the national selectors at a special meeting on Wednesday. A national selector however, denied the occurence of any such meeting. Speculation had been rife surrounding the southpaw's retirement ever since Sri Lanka clinched the T20 WC title in early 2014. "As far as ODI and Test cricket are concerned, it's hard to give a timeframe. I am 36 years old now and will be 37 next year during the time of the World Cup. At the next World Cup, I will be 41 and I don't hope that I will be playing then. So the 2015 World Cup will be my last. For Test cricket; form, fitness and enjoyment factors must be there for you to continue. There is no denying I am in the twilight of my career," Sangakkara was quoted as saying, after the win.

Should reports hold true, Sangakkara would have already played his last Test match for Sri Lanka at home when they faced Pakistan earlier in August. With Sri Lanka scheduled to tour New Zealand for a 2-Test series before the World Cup, the home series against Pakistan in August earlier this year, could have been the last time the Sri Lankan fans saw Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene play a Test at home. Jayawardene retired from Test cricket at the end of that series.

Sangakkara's retirement would signify the end of an era that saw him,Mahela Jayawardene, Tilakaratne Dilshan and co. establish themselves as the heart beat of the new Sri Lankan team after the high profile retirements of Aravinda De Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya. A modern great, Sangakkara belongs to the elite list of batsmen to have scored over 10000 runs in both Tests and ODI's. He currently holds the number 1 ranking in Tests and stands only behind Don Bradman in the number of double-centuries scored in Test cricket(10).