Sangakkara joins Sky Sports for huge summer of cricket

Kumar Sangakkara joins the Sky Sports team as part of a huge line-up of cricket this summer.

The former Sri Lanka captain, one of the greatest batsman of all time, joins a star-studded line-up of legends including; former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, Indian spin bowler Harbhajan Singh and Pakistan legend Wasim Akram, throughout the summer.

In the studio and commentary box, regulars David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Sir Ian Botham, David Gower and Michael Holding, will also be joined by former England Internationals Isa Guha and Ebony Rainford-Brent.

From April to September, Sky Sports Cricket viewers can enjoy exclusive coverage of:

• All England internationals against Pakistan, Australia and India

• England Women’s home ODIs and T20 Tri Series against South Africa and New Zealand

• 12 matches from the Kia Super League, culminating in finals day from Hove on 27 August

• County Cricket including; Vitality Blast, Royal London One Day Cup and Specsavers County Championship

• Every game from the Indian Premier League

• Caribbean Hurricane Relief T20 International, West Indies v ROW at Lord’s on 31 May

Kumar Sangakkara commented: “The line-up on Sky Sports Cricket this summer is going to be one to remember, with England facing some huge rivals at home, we will certainly not be short of talking points. I am looking forward to joining the Sky Cricket team alongside my old rivals Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton and bringing fresh insight, analysis and opinion to the commentary box.”

The schedule will undoubtedly bring drama and excitement as the best player in the world, India’s Virat Kohli, brings his side for five Tests, three ODIs and three T20s.

And with the ICC Cricket World Cup and The Ashes live and exclusive on Sky Sports in 2019, the stakes are high for England’s five ODIs and T20 International against Australia – the last time both sides will meet ahead of next year’s clashes.

Building on the momentum of last year’s World Cup victory, Sky Sports will show more women’s cricket than ever before including; England Women’s home ODIs and T20 Tri Series against South Africa and New Zealand and 12 matches from the Kia Super League – all great build-up to the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sky Sports later this year.

Head of Sky Sports Cricket Bryan Henderson said: “With some of the best players and teams in the world flying over, we hope to show audiences far and wide what Sky Sports can deliver on all platforms. We’ll capture every ball using the best technology and innovation, including Spidercam and more matches in UHD than ever before. And with our great talent line-up, audiences at home will have the best seat in the house.”

Action has already started on the Sky Sports Cricket channel, with the IPL season underway. Sky Sports will continue to show every game, so fans from all over can enjoy the best of Indian cricket.

This summer, customers can also enjoy new and exclusive content on the Sky Sports Cricket channel. Following the award-winning documentary Imran, Sky Sports has commissioned new documentaries including; Cricket in Mumbai, Viv Richards: The Master Blaster, Last Man Standing and Mind Games – a series showcasing the mental side of cricket and sport.

Non Sky subscribers can follow all the action via the Sky Sports app, Sky Sports News and skysports.com. Sky Sports is the home of England cricket until 2024 and ICC events until 2023.

About Sky

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 23 million customers across seven countries - UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. The company had annual reported revenues of £12.9 billion in 2016/17, and is Europe’s leading investor in television content with an annual programming spend of around £7 billion.

From exclusive partnerships with HBO, Showtime and Warner Bros. to Sky Original Productions, Sky offers the best and broadest range of content along with the best viewing experience to suit each and every customer. Whether that’s through the multi-award winning next generation box, Sky Q, or Sky’s contract-free online streaming service, NOW TV, customers have access to the latest movies, drama, sports and kids’ entertainment wherever and whenever they like. This is all supported by Sky’s best in class customer service.

Sky’s success is not just based on what the company does but how it does it. Three new major commitments have been launched for Sky’s corporate campaign Sky Ocean Rescue; the reduction of our own single-use plastics by 2020; an investment fund of £25 million over five years in technology solutions; and support of marine protected areas across our markets.

Sky has over 31,000 employees and is listed as one of The Times Top 50 employers for women, as well as being recognised in the Stonewall list of Top 50 LGBT-inclusive employers. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY)

Sky Sports – Televised Cricket Schedule

Indian Premier League

Showing every match

Saturday 7 April to Wednesday 16 May

Men’s Internationals

England v Pakistan

1st Test (Lord’s): Thursday 24 May

2nd Test (Emerald Headingley): Friday 1 June

Scotland v England

ODI (Grange CC): Sunday 10 June

England v Australia

1st ODI (The Kia Oval): Wednesday 13 June

2nd ODI (SSE SWALEC): Saturday 16 June

3rd ODI (Trent Bridge): Tuesday 19 June

4th ODI (Emirates Riverside): Thursday 21 June

5th ODI (Emirates Old Trafford): Sunday 24 June

Only Twenty20 (Edgbaston): Wednesday 27 June

England v India

1st Twenty20 (Emirates Old Trafford): Tuesday 3 July

2nd Twenty20 (SSE SWALEC): Friday 6 July

3rd Twenty20 (The Brightside Ground, Bristol): Sunday 8 July

1st ODI (Trent Bridge): Thursday 12 July

2nd ODI (Lord’s): Saturday 14 July

3rd ODI (Emerald Headingley): Tuesday 17 July

1st Test (Edgbaston): Wednesday 1 August

2nd Test (Lord’s): Thursday 9 August

3rd Test (Trent Bridge): Saturday 18 August

4th Test (The Ageas Bowl): Thursday 30 August

5th Test (The Kia Oval): Saturday 7 September

Women’s Internationals

England Women v South Africa Women

1st ODI (New Road): Saturday 9 June

2nd ODI (Hove): Tuesday 12 June

3rd ODI (Canterbury): Friday 15 June

England Women v New Zealand Women

1st ODI (Emerald Headingley): Saturday 7 July

2nd ODI (County Ground, Derby): Tuesday 10 July

3rd ODI (Grace Road): Friday 13 July

England Women’s Tri Series

South Africa v New Zealand / England v South Africa

Wednesday 20 June

England v South Africa / England v New Zealand

Saturday 23 June

South Africa v New Zealand / England v New Zealand

Thursday 28 June

Final

Sunday 1 July

Kia Super League

Western Storm v Yorkshire Diamonds

Sunday 22 July

Southern Vipers v Loughborough Lightning

Wednesday 25 July

Yorkshire Diamonds v Lancashire Thunder

Friday 27 July

Western Storm v Loughborough Lightning

Sunday 29 July

Surrey Stars v Lancashire Thunder

Tuesday 31 July

Lancashire Thunder v Surrey Stars

Tuesday 7 August

Southern Vipers v Yorkshire Diamonds

Wednesday 8 August

Southern Vipers v Surrey Stars

Tuesday 14 August

Loughborough Lightning v Western Storm

Wednesday 15 August

Saturday 18 August

TBC

Kia Super League Finals Day

Monday 27 August

Royal London One-Day Cup

Lancashire v Notts Outlaws

(Emirates Old Trafford) Thursday 17 May

Durham v Yorkshire

(Emirates Riverside) Friday 18 May

Glamorgan v Middlesex

(SSE SWALEC) Wednesday 23 May

Hampshire v Surrey

(Ageas Bowl) Monday 21 May

Kent v Somerset

(Canterbury) Tuesday 29 May

Warwickshire v Northamptonshire

(Edgbaston) Wednesday 30 May

Wednesday 6 June (last group)

Thursday 7 June (last group)

Thursday June 14 (playoff)

Sunday 17 June (semi-final)

Monday 18 June (semi-final)

Saturday 30 June (final at Lord’s)

Vitality Blast

Notts Outlaws v Birmingham Bears

Wednesday 4 July

Middlesex v Surrey

Thursday 5 July

Gloucestershire v Kent

Wednesday 11 July

Worcestershire v Yorkshire

Sunday 15 July

Leicestershire v Lancashire

Wednesday 18 July

Northamptonshire v Derbyshire

Thursday 19 July

Lancashire v Yorkshire

Friday 20 July

Essex v Hampshire

Saturday 21 July

Middlesex v Hampshire

Thursday 26 July

Yorks v Birmingham Bears

Friday 27 July

Durham v Notts Outlaws

Saturday 28 July

Somerset v Middlesex

Sunday 29 July

Surrey v Glamorgan

Tuesday 31 July

Sussex v Gloucestershire

Wednesday 1 August

Kent v Essex

Thursday 2 August

Surrey v Middlesex

Friday 3 August

Nottinghamshire v Worcestershire

Saturday 4 August

Lancashire v Durham

Tuesday 7 August

Hampshire v Somerset

Wednesday 8 August

Yorkshire v Lancashire

Thursday 9 August

Glamorgan v Hampshire

Friday 10 August

Derbyshire v Leicestershire

Saturday 11 August

Sussex v Glamorgan

Tuesday 14 August

Warwickshire v Lancashire

Wednesday 15 August

Thursday 16 August

TBC

Friday 17 August

TBC

Vitality Blast Quarter-Final

(TBC) Thursday 23 August

Vitality Blast Quarter-Final

(TBC) Friday 24 August

Vitality Blast Quarter-Final

(TBC) Saturday 25 August

Vitality Blast Quarter-Final

(TBC) Sunday 26 August

Vitality Blast Finals Day

Saturday 15 September

The Specsavers County Championship

Dates TBC

Other Internationals

West Indies v ROW

(Lord’s) Thursday 31 May

West Indies v Sri Lanka

1st Test (TBC): Wednesday 6 June

2nd Test (TBC): Thursday 14 June

3rd Test (TBC): Saturday 23 June