legendary player and former captain retires from Test cricket, says – 'It’s time for young players to step forward'"
Galle (The Uttam Hindu): Former Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews has officially retired from Test cricket following the first Test match against Bangladesh held at Galle International Stadium. Marking the end of an illustrious chapter, the Bangladesh team honored Mathews with a guard of honour.
In an emotional statement after the match, Mathews said, “I’m overwhelmed with the love I’ve received since announcing my retirement. I’m eternally grateful to everyone who stood by me throughout this journey. It hasn’t been easy—there were many ups and downs, joys and setbacks—but the support I received made it worthwhile. Retiring from my favorite format is heartbreaking, but I sincerely thank all the players, coaches, and fans who were part of my journey.”
Mathews reminisced some of the most significant moments in his career, including the historic win against England at Headingley in 2014 and the 3-0 whitewash of Australia in Sri Lanka, calling them some of the proudest moments for the team and himself.
Having debuted in Test cricket in 2009, Mathews captained Sri Lanka in 34 matches, leading with distinction. He finishes his Test career as Sri Lanka’s third-highest run-scorer in the longest format, behind legends Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
In total, Mathews played 119 Tests, scoring 8,214 runs with 16 centuries and 45 half-centuries, while also picking up 33 wickets. In his final Test, he scored 39 and 8 runs in the two innings. The first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ended in a draw. Bangladesh batted first and scored 495 runs, while Sri Lanka replied with 485. In the second innings, Bangladesh declared at 285/6, setting a target of 296 runs for Sri Lanka. When the match was called off, Sri Lanka were 72/4. Mathews' departure marks the end of a golden era in Sri Lankan Test cricket.