Follow UsFormer Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik is set to play for Sharjah Warriorz in the upcoming season of the International League T20 (ILT20). This will mark Karthik’s maiden stint in the ILT20, as he steps in to replace Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis.
“I am very excited to be joining the Sharjah Warriorz team for the DP World ILT20 tournament. I know they are a young team, aspiring to do some special things, and I am happy to be here. Sharjah is also one of those iconic stadiums one always wants to play at. And to be a part of the franchise, Sharjah Warriorz, makes a dream come true,” said Karthik.
An Indian Premier League (IPL) champion with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2013, Karthik was also part of the Indian squad that won the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
Recently, Karthik was among the leadership group and served as batting coach for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), helping the franchise clinch their maiden IPL title in 2025. At Sharjah Warriorz, DK will reunite with Australia’s big-hitting finisher Tim David, who was also part of RCB’s IPL 2025-winning squad.
Karthik retired from all forms of cricket, including the IPL, in 2024, but he did feature for Paarl Royals in the SA20 earlier this year. The right-handed batter from Tamil Nadu scored 130 runs across eight innings at an average of 21.66 and a strike rate of 121.49. He has not played any competitive cricket since.
“Dinesh Karthik is one of the most experienced hands and an incredibly innovative mind when it comes to T20 cricket, and I am chuffed to have him in our corner for the upcoming edition of the DP World ILT20. The whole world has seen what he is capable of with the bat, and his explosive batting, dynamic personality, and immense experience will surely benefit the younger players significantly during the course of the tournament. I look forward to working with him closely,” said Sharjah Warriorz head coach JP Duminy.
At Sharjah Warriorz, Karthik will team up not only with his RCB colleague David but also with Sikandar Raza, who won the ILT20 last season with Dubai Capitals. The trio will join captain Tim Southee, Johnson Charles, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and Saurabh Netravalkar.
Overall, Karthik has featured in 412 T20s, amassing 7537 runs at an average of 27.01 and a strike rate of 136.66, including 35 half-centuries.
(With inputs from ILT20's official press release)