Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade sets sights on T20 World Cup after calling time on red-ball career

Melbourne: Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade has decided to retire from red-ball cricket ahead of the Marsh Sheffield Shield final.

Wade made this announcement before Tasmania's clash against South Australia, a decision he shared with his state teammates.

In a statement, Wade expressed his gratitude to his family, especially his wife Julia and children Winter, Goldie, and Duke, for their sacrifices throughout his career in red-ball cricket.

He will continue to play the white-ball format and aims to represent Australia in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for June in the West Indies and the USA.

Wade's recent leadership roles include being named stand-in skipper during the New Zealand series and leading Australia in the five-match T20I series against India last year following their Cricket World Cup triumph.

After Australia's 3-0 victory in the New Zealand T20I series, Wade expressed his enthusiasm about being part of the T20 World Cup squad.

"It's an exciting time to be in the T20 squad, and I can't wait to get started at the World Cup, to be honest," he said.

Wade played a crucial role in Australia's T20 World Cup victory in 2021, particularly in the semifinal against Pakistan, where he was awarded Player of the Match for his blistering knock of 41* off 17 balls.

Debuting for Australia in Tests in 2012, Wade appeared in 36 matches until 2021, amassing 1613 runs with four centuries.

Despite retiring from the longest format, he cherished the opportunity to have represented his country in Test cricket and aims to focus on white-ball cricket to enhance his physical strength and longevity in the sport.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that the long-form game provides, and although I will continue to play white ball cricket, wearing the Baggy Green while playing for my country remains a highlight of my career.

"Not playing the longer format of the game will give me an opportunity to get stronger, get in the gym a bit more and have some longevity in that format," he said.