Australia entered the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with hopes of becoming the first cricket team to hold all three major world titles simultaneously. However, their campaign came to a halt after a Super 8 defeat to eventual champions India, a loss that deeply impacted wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade, who began seriously contemplating retirement afterwards.
On Tuesday, Matthew Wade confirmed his retirement from international cricket and will now join the Australian men’s coaching staff for their upcoming T20I series against Pakistan at home. Reflecting on the turning point, Wade shared with cricket.com.au, “It [retirement] probably hit home after we lost to India. That was when I really sat down and reflected that this was probably the end of my career. It was an emotional moment.”
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Matthew Wade’s international career, which began in 2011, saw him play 36 Tests, 97 ODIs, and 92 T20Is for Australia. The emergence of Josh Inglis, who has recently taken over as Australia’s primary wicketkeeper, also influenced Wade’s decision.
36 Test matches. 97 ODIs. 92 T20 Internationals.
Congratulations to Matthew Wade on an outstanding international cricket career! pic.twitter.com/SDWl1OhqZC
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) October 29, 2024
“The time was right for Ingo [Inglis] to step in,” Matthew Wade explained. “You can see what he’s done in the last few months as the No. 1 ‘keeper. He was ready for that role, and they’re looking for someone who can bat more in the top-to-middle order, which suits him.”
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Matthew Wade, 36, also announced he won’t be participating in the next season of the Indian Premier League, where he currently represents Gujarat Titans. Instead, he’ll be focusing on other leagues and tournaments. “I’m doing the ILT20 right after the BBL, and the [Abu Dhabi] T10, which leads straight into the BBL,” he noted. “I’ll be heading to Dubai at the end of the month and playing some one-dayers for Tasmania, but I won’t be in the IPL.”
