Dinesh Karthik joins Sharjah Warriorz in the ILT20 having been unveiled as a replacement player before the auction.
Dinesh Karthik, a former India batsman and wicketkeeper, has joined Sharjah Warriorz for the forthcoming ILT20 season in the United Arab Emirates. Karthik was introduced by Warriorz as a substitute for Sri Lankan batsman-wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis prior to the league’s inaugural player auction on October 1.
While serving as a batting coach and consultant for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Karthik, 40, will rejoin with the big-hitting Tim David with whom he won the 2025 Indian Premier League at Warriorz.
“I am very excited to be joining the Sharjah Warriorz team for the DP World ILT20 tournament,” Karthik said in a statement. “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.”
Warriorz head coach JP Duminy welcomed Karthik into their set-up. “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,” Duminy said. “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.”
After playing for the Bangla Tigers in the 2024 Abu Dhabi T10, the Southern Superstars in the 2024 Legends League, and the Paarl Royals in the 2025 SA20, this will be Karthik’s fourth stint as a player in franchise cricket outside of the IPL. Following his retirement from Indian and international cricket in June 2024, Karthik ventured into the world of franchise cricket.
Karthik possesses a wealth of T20 experience with him, having participated in 412 games and amassed 7537 runs with a strike rate of 136.66 and an average of 27.01. He represented six clubs in the IPL, including the top-seeded Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Having missed just two games in 17 seasons, he was also one of the IPL’s fittest players.
Karthik may play alongside or against R Ashwin, his old teammate from Tamil Nadu and India, in the 2018 ILT20 season. Ashwin is the only player with a base price in the six digits that entered the ILT20 auction with the highest base price.
Mendis has pulled out, as has all-rounder Dasun Shanaka, who was previously kept by the reigning champions Dubai Capitals, as the LPL 2025 clashes with the ILT20.