Matthew Wade announces retirement from international cricket

Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade, who represented his nation in all three formats of cricket, announced his retirement from international play and his transition into coaching on Tuesday.

Wade participated in 36 Test matches, 97 One Day Internationals, and 92 Twenty20 matches for Australia, with his final appearance occurring during the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

"I was fully aware that my international career was likely coming to an end following the last T20 World Cup," stated the left-handed batsman in a news release from Cricket Australia.

"Coaching has been on my mind for several years, and I am fortunate to have received some excellent opportunities, for which I am both grateful and excited."

Throughout his 13-year international career, Wade fulfilled various roles for Australia, but his most significant contribution came as a finisher during the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he scored an unbeaten 41 runs, leading Australia past Pakistan in the semi-finals.

His finishing abilities were not needed in the final, as Australia convincingly defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in Dubai, securing the title for the first time.

Wade might have played more Test matches had it not been for the intense competition from fellow wicketkeepers Brad Haddin and Tim Paine. However, he fought his way back into the team for the 2019 Ashes series, which ended in a 2-2 draw, allowing Australia to retain the urn.

The Tasmanian batsman recorded two of his four Test centuries during that series, amassing a total of 1,613 runs in his career at an average just below 30.

"Matthew was a cherished teammate in Australian teams across all formats over the past 13 years," remarked Ben Oliver from Cricket Australia.

"His resilience and adaptability were hallmarks of his career, and he should take great pride in the impact he made at the international level."