Matthew Wade Reflects on Retirement Thoughts Following T20 World Cup Loss to India
In a critical Group 1 Super Eight match held in St Lucia, India, led by Rohit Sharma's explosive 41-ball 92, defeated Australia by 24 runs, securing their place in the semifinals and eventually winning the tournament.
Former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade has shared that the moment his team lost to India in the T20 World Cup earlier this year prompted him to consider retirement from international cricket. This revelation comes after Wade announced his retirement on Tuesday.
In a critical Group 1 Super Eight match held in St Lucia, India, led by Rohit Sharma's explosive 41-ball 92, defeated Australia by 24 runs, securing their place in the semifinals and eventually winning the tournament. Reflecting on that defeat, Wade stated, "It probably hit home after we lost against India. That was when I really sat down and reflected that that was probably the end of my career. That was an emotional moment."
Wade, who often batted lower down the order in T20 Internationals, also noted that the emergence of Josh Inglis as a wicketkeeper capable of batting at the top of the order played a significant role in his decision to retire. He acknowledged Inglis's readiness to step into the role, saying, "The time was right for 'Ingo' to come in. You can see what he's done in the last [games] he’s been in the team as the No.1 'keeper. He was certainly ready to come in and take that role."
The Tasmanian cricketer further mentioned that he is unlikely to participate in the upcoming IPL mega auction due to scheduling conflicts. Wade has been a member of the Gujarat Titans for the past two seasons but explained, "I'm doing the ILT20 which will be straight after the BBL. I'm doing the T10, which leads straight into BBL. So, I'm going over to Dubai at the end of this month. I've got some Tassie one-dayers that I've been playing as well. I won't be in the IPL."
In the interim, Wade will serve as Australia's wicketkeeping and fielding coach during the white-ball series against Pakistan, marking a new chapter in his cricketing career. As he steps away from international play, Wade reflects on his journey and the contributions he made to the Australian team over the years.
