Watch: 4-time IPL winner Karn Sharma announces retirement from international and domestic cricket

The four-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winner, Karn Sharma, who has played four games for the Indian side, has retired from international and domestic cricket for India. The Railways spinner announced on August 22 after the UP T20 league game between Kanpur Superstars and Meerut Mavericks. 

Karn will end after his side’s last match of the Lucknow leg in August. He finished with four trophies in the IPL and played one Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, two ODIs, and one T20I in a short international career in 2014.

Veteran leg-spinner Karn Sharma bids farewell to cricket after his final match in the UP T20 league

Karn made his debut in the 2007-08 domestic season and developed as an all-rounder. His breakthrough season came in 2012-13 when he collected 21 wickets at 19,04 in three Ranji Trophy matches and won the BCCI’s Best U-25 Cricketer award.

Watch Karn Sharma announcing retirement here- 

In the auction of the IPL 2014, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bought him for a price of INR 3.75 crore, which was the highest auction price for an uncapped Indian player at that time.

“I now want to retire. I am extremely grateful to my family, BCCI, Railways, UPCA, Andhra, Vidarbha Cricket Association and everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. After this, I will be available for coaching and other responsibilities related to the game of cricket.” Karn spoke about his retirement.

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Karn’s performance drew the attention of the selectors and got him a place in India’s limited-overs squad for their England trip in 2014. In 2018, he became the first player to win three IPL titles in a row for three different sides- Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016), Mumbai Indians (2017), and the Chennai Super Kings (2018).

A look back at Karn Sharma's career — 90 IPL matches, 83 wickets, and four IPL titles

Karn ended his IPL career with 83 wickets in 87 innings at an average of nearly 27 and a strike rate of 19, with an economy rate of nearly eight, thanks to the best bowling figures of 4/16 in an innings. His best campaign came in 2014 when he picked up 15 wickets at an economy rate of 7.42.

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In 148 innings of first-class cricket, he picked up 270 wickets at an average of 27.60 and a strike rate of 50.2, thanks to 14 five-wicket hauls at the best figures of 8/38 in an innings. In 179 innings of T20s, the leg spinner bagged 168 wickets at an economy rate of 7.71.

For the Indian side, he collected five wickets in international cricket across the five innings, with the best of 1/28 during the T20I at Edgbaston.