ICC Chairman Jay Shah congratulates Angelo Mathews on successful test career

ANI June 22, 2025 331 views

ICC Chairman Jay Shah congratulated Angelo Mathews as the Sri Lankan veteran officially retired from Test cricket. Mathews ended his 16-year career with 8214 runs, placing him among Sri Lanka's batting legends. His final match in Galle ended in a draw against Bangladesh, marked by emotional tributes. Fans and peers celebrated his contributions as an all-rounder and former captain.

"Congratulations on a fantastic Test career, Angelo Mathews! More than 8000 runs across 16 years shows your dedication and longevity in whites." — Jay Shah
New Delhi June 21: ICC Chairman Jay Shah congratulated former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews as he officially brought his storied Test career to an end on Saturday after the first test against Bangladesh at Galle.

Key Points

1

Mathews retires with 8214 Test runs, second only to Sangakkara and Jayawardene

2

Played final Test in Galle draw against Bangladesh

3

Jay Shah lauds his leadership and longevity

4

Emotional farewell as fans celebrate his contributions

Mathews, on May 23, announced that the first test match against Bangladesh will be his last red-ball appearance for his country.

Sri Lanka batted out 32 overs in the final session of Day 5 to ensure the first Test in Galle ended in a draw against Bangladesh.

Jay Shah posted on his Instagram account, "Congratulations on a fantastic Test career, Angelo Mathews! More than 8000 runs across 16 years shows your dedication and longevity in whites, and sets an example for future stars of the game."

Matthews had a decent outing in the first innings and scored 39 runs. In the second innings, he failed to do much and was dismissed for eight.

The teams shook hands with five overs left to play in the day, with Dhananjaya de Silva and having played out 53 balls in their partnership.

During a run-chase of 296 runs, Dhananjaya and Kamindu had come together after Sri Lanka had lost both Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal in quick succession, both to the excellent Taijul Islam, who ended on figures of 3 for 23.

Speaking about his retirement, Matthews in the post-match presentation said, "Since I announced my retirement, I can't believe the love that I have received so far. I am certainly overwhelmed. Ever so grateful to all those who supported me right throughout. It wasn't an easy journey; there were a lot of ups and downs, happiness and sadness."

Mathews, who made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2009, has been a cornerstone of Sri Lankan cricket for over 15 years, excelling as both an all-rounder and a leader.

Aggregating 8214 in 119 matches, he is only behind Kumar Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardena (11,814) for most Test runs by a Sri Lankan. He also proved handy with the ball with 33 wickets to his name.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
What a legend! Mathews always gave tough competition to India, especially in those nerve-wracking Test matches. Remember his fighting knock in Galle 2015? Respect from an Indian cricket fan 👏 #TrueWarrior
P
Priya M.
Jay Shah's gesture shows great sportsmanship. Mathews deserved this recognition - 8000+ Test runs is no joke! Though I wish he had one last fiery innings against Bangladesh to end on a high.
A
Arjun S.
Another great SL player retires. Their golden generation is almost gone now after Sanga, Mahela, Dilshan. Mathews carried the team through tough times. Hope SL cricket finds new heroes soon!
S
Sneha P.
Mixed feelings. While I appreciate his career, Mathews' slow batting sometimes frustrated us Indian fans during India-SL matches! But can't deny his contribution to cricket. Wishing him happy retirement days ahead.
V
Vikram J.
Respect to Mathews! But honestly, SL cricket needs to rebuild now. Their Test team looks weak after so many retirements. Maybe BCCI can help with more A-team tours? Our neighbors need strong cricket for Asian cricket to thrive.
N
Neha T.
Emotional to see another 2000s cricketer retire 😢 Mathews was part of so many memorable India-SL contests. That 2011 World Cup final where he played against us... time flies! Wishing him the best for his next innings in life.

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