Karn Sharma announces retirement from all cricket formats

Veteran Indian leg-spinner Karn Sharma has announced his retirement from all formats of professional cricket at the age of 38. The announcement was made following a UP T20 League match between the Kanpur Superstars and Meerut Mavericks. Sharma confirmed that his final professional game will take place on August 25 during the Lucknow leg of the tournament.

Sharma leaves behind a distinguished career highlighted by his success in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he won four titles. He holds a unique record as the only player to win three consecutive IPL championships with three different franchises: Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016), Mumbai Indians (2017), and Chennai Super Kings (2018).

While his international career was relatively brief, consisting of one Test match, two ODIs, and one T20I in 2014, he was a mainstay in Indian domestic cricket for nearly two decades. Representing teams such as Railways, Vidarbha, and Andhra, he earned the BCCI Best Under-25 Cricketer award during the 2012-13 season. Following his retirement, Sharma expressed his intention to remain involved in the sport through coaching and other related responsibilities.