Matthew Wade, an Australian batsman and wicketkeeper who represented his nation in all three formats of cricket, said on Tuesday that he will be retiring from international cricket and transitioning into coaching.
The 36-year-old, who made his final appearance at the T20 World Cup earlier this year, played 92 Twenty20 matches, 97 One-Day Internationals, and 36 Test matches for Australia.
According to a news release from Cricket Australia, the left-hander stated, “I was fully aware that my professional days were most likely finished at the end of the previous T20 World Cup.”
“Over the past few years, coaching has been on my radar, and fortunately, some fantastic opportunities have presented themselves, for which I am extremely appreciative and thrilled.”
Over the course of his 13-year international career, Wade filled a variety of positions for Australia, but his most significant innings came as a finisher at the 2021 T20 World Cup, when he scored an undefeated 41 to help Australia defeat Pakistan in the semifinals.
In the final, Australia defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in Dubai to win the trophy for the first time, therefore his finishing prowess was not needed.
Wade fought his way back into the team for the 2019 Ashes series, which Australia drew 2-2 to maintain the trophy, but he would have likely played more tests if not for the fierce competition from fellow wicketkeepers Brad Haddin and Tim Paine.
