Australia’s Wade brings curtain down on his international cricket career
SYDNEY: Australian wicketkeeper-batsmen Matthew Wade, who played in all three formats of the game for his country, announced his retirement from international cricket and a move into coaching on Tuesday.
The 36-year-old played 36 Tests, 97 one-day internationals and 92 Twenty20s for Australia, making his last appearance at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
“I was fully aware my international days were most likely over at the end of the last T20 World Cup,” the lefthander said in a Cricket Australia news release.
“Coaching has been on my radar over the last few years and thankfully some great opportunities have come my way, for which I am very grateful and excited.”
He has been coaching Tasmanian youth and second XI sides during the winter, roles which he hopes to expand in and around the Australian system while playing through the summer.
Wade played a number of different roles for Australia over a 13-year international career but it was as a finisher at the 2021 T20 World Cup that he played his most important innings, an unbeaten 41 that got Australia past Pakistan in the semis.
His finishing skills were not required in the final as Australia thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets in Dubai to win the title for the first time.
Wade would probably have played more Tests had it not been for the strong competition from fellow wicketkeepers Brad Haddin and Tim Paine but battled his way back into the side for the 2019 Ashes series, which Australia drew 2-2 to retain the urn.
The Tasmanian scored two of his four Test centuries in that series as he accumulated 1,613 runs over his career at an average of a shade under 30.
“Matthew was a much-loved teammate in Australian teams across all formats over the past 13 years,” said Cricket Australia’s Ben Oliver.
“His resilience and adaptability were a feature throughout his career, and he should be incredibly proud of the impact that he had at international level.”
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said: “Congratulations to Matthew on what has been a wonderful international career during which his skill and versatility has made him an outstanding performer across all formats.
“I’m delighted he will add to his massive contribution by coaching the next generation of stars and also continuing to light up the Big Bash with the Hobart Hurricanes.”
