Farewell to Sanga & Afridi

Sri Lanka's defeat against South Africa in the first quarterfinal of this World Cup signaled the end of the ODI career of one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batsmen of the game, Kumar Sangakkara.

The elegant left-hander is said to be one of the most humble cricketers ever, and the esteem he is held in by his peers was apparent after the match ended, as the South African players took their time to shake hands and share a hearty hug to bid farewell to this great cricketer.

"Retiring from cricket is not about form," Sangakkara said after the match. "I'm sure I can play maybe a year or two more, but like I said before, it's time and place, and I feel that the time is now and it's right."

Asked how he would like to be remembered in cricket, he said: "If anyone can say that they've enjoyed playing against me and playing with me, I'll be more than happy."

It might seem unfortunate that Sanga, despite playing in two World Cup finals, has never gone on to win the ultimate silverware. Another cricketer retiring without having won the World Cup in his career is the dynamic Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi.

Stealing the headlines ever since he made a bursting introduction into world cricket with a 37-ball century in 1997 against the then World champions Sri Lanka, Afridi will be remembered for his flair with both bat and ball. With an attack-every-delivery style of batting, Afridi always kept fans, opponents and supporters wondering what his next move would be. This unpredictability led him to become a true entertainer in all formats of the game. He has already retired from Tests, but will continue playing T20s.

We want to remember these players for being a part of the game and in their fans' hearts for so many years:  Sangakkara, the ever-calm and humble wicketkeeper-batsman, and the fiery, flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi. We hope that the new generation of cricketers all around the world will find valuable insights from the long and illustrious careers of these two legends.