Cricket

Matthew Wade, the former Australian wicketkeeper-batter, has bid farewell to international cricket and will embark on a new chapter as a coach with the national team. Wade's retirement comes after a distinguished career spanning over a decade, during which he represented Australia in 36 Tests, 97 ODIs, and 92 T20Is.Wade's international journey began in 2011, and he quickly established himself as a versatile player, capable of contributing with both bat and gloves. He played a pivotal role in Australia's T20 World Cup triumph in 2021, showcasing his prowess as a finisher with a match-winning knock in the semi-final against Pakistan.In recent years, Wade has transitioned to a more specialized role as a batter, and he enjoyed a successful return to the Test side in 2019, scoring two centuries in the Ashes series. However, his Test career came to an end in 2021, and he also retired from red-ball cricket at the domestic level in March 2023.While Wade's international career has come to a close, he will continue to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the Hobart Hurricanes and participate in franchise tournaments around the world. He will also bring his experience and expertise to the Australian T20I squad as a coach, working alongside head coach Andre Borovec.Wade's retirement marks the end of an era for Australian cricket, as he was one of the last remaining members of the team that won the 2015 World Cup. His contributions to the national team have been immense, and he will be remembered as a skilled and versatile player who always gave his all on the field.

Matthew Wade, the Australian wicketkeeper-batter, will miss the Gujarat Titans' (GT) opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 to participate in the Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania. The Sheffield Shield final will be held from March 21st to 25th, coinciding with GT's first game against Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 25th.Wade's presence for GT's second match against Chennai Super Kings on March 27th is uncertain, while his availability for their third game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 31st is also in doubt.Tasmania head coach Jeff Vaughan confirmed that Wade has received permission from GT to play in the Sheffield Shield final. "He's spoken with his IPL franchise and they're happy to allow him to stay here, which probably equates to him potentially missing their first game," Vaughan said.Wade, who spent 10 years with Victoria, returned to Tasmania in the 2017-18 Sheffield Shield season and was part of the team that lost the final to Queensland.GT will enter IPL 2024 without Hardik Pandya, who has rejoined Mumbai Indians as captain. Shubman Gill will lead the Gujarat Titans in Pandya's absence.