Sri Lanka’s legendary all-rounder Angelo Mathews has announced that he will retire from Test cricket after playing the first Test against Bangladesh in June. The 37-year-old confirmed the news through a heartfelt post on social media.
Test Career Highlights of Angelo Mathews
Angelo Mathews leaves behind a remarkable Test career spanning over 16 years. In 118 matches, he has scored 8,167 runs at an impressive average of 44.6, with 16 centuries and 48 fifties. He also contributed with the ball, taking 33 wickets. It marks the end of an era for one of Sri Lanka’s finest cricketers.
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He made his Test debut in 2009 against Pakistan at Galle and went on to captain the national team at just 25 years old during the 2014 tour of England—becoming the youngest to lead Sri Lanka in Test cricket. While known as an all-rounder, Mathews truly built his legacy with the bat in red-ball cricket. His consistency in the middle order was unmatched, and at his peak, he rose to No. 3 in the ICC Test batting rankings—one of the highlights of his career.
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Mathews captained Sri Lanka in 34 Tests, winning 13 of them during a difficult transition period following the retirements of legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
In his retirement message shared on social media, Mathews expressed immense pride in representing his country:
“It is time for me to say goodbye to the most cherished format of the game, international Test cricket! The past 17 years of playing cricket for Sri Lanka has been my highest honour and pride. Nothing can match that feeling of patriotism and servitude when one dons the National Jersey.” He added
“I have given my everything to cricket, and cricket has given me everything in return and made me the person that I am today.
I stand grateful to the game and thankful to the thousands of Sri Lanka Cricket fans who have been there for me throughout my career—during my highest of highs and lowest of lows.”
Angelo Mathews to Retire After First Test Against Bangladesh
Mathews also thanked the Sri Lanka Cricket Board for believing in him and giving him the platform to represent the nation at the highest level
The upcoming first Test against Bangladesh, scheduled from June 17 to June 21 at the Galle International Stadium, will mark Angelo Mathews’ final appearance in red-ball cricket, a fitting farewell at the venue where it all began.
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