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Angelo Mathews received a guard of honour in his farewell Test vs Bangladesh at Galle, the venue of his debut and 100th Test. Sri Lanka’s third-highest Test run-scorer bids adieu to red-ball cricket, aiming to end his stellar career on a high.
Sri Lanka veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews was given a guard of honour ahead of his farewell Test match against Bangladesh at Galle International Stadium on Tuesday, June 17. Mathews will bid farewell to his illustrious Test career after the first Test of the two-match series against Bangladesh.
In May, Mathews took to his social media handles to announce his retirement from the longest format of the game, stating that it was time to pass on the mantle to a younger player, who would carry the team forward and contribute to the future of Sri Lanka’s Test cricket.
The 38-year-old had chosen Galle as the venue to bid farewell to his Test career as he played his first and 100th match at the iconic stadium, making it a fitting stage for his final red-ball appearance.
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Guard of honour for Sri Lanka legend
As Angelo Mathews stepped onto the field for the farewell match of his Test career, the young Sri Lankan cricketers formed a guard of honour to acknowledge the contribution of the veteran all-rounder to Sri Lankan cricket with applause and warm gestures.
In a video posted by Fancode on its X handle, Angelo Mathews can be seen walking through the guard of honour with a smile on his face, as young Sri Lankan cricketers stood on either side and held their bats high in tribute to the veteran all-rounder, who has played his 119th and final Test of his career.
Angelo Mathews’ parents, wife, and children were present when he was felicitated and congratulated by the Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Cricket, Ashley de Silva, before the commencement of the first Test against Bangladesh in Galle.
Angelo Mathews is one of the finest Test cricketers Sri Lanka has produced. Mathews is the third-leading run-getter for Sri Lanka in Tests, amassing 8167 runs, including 16 centuries and 45 fifties, at an average of 44.62 in 118 matches. With the ball, he picked 33 wickets, including a four-wicket haul, at an average of 54.48 and an economy rate of 2.17 in 118 matches.
Angelo Mathews hopes to end his Test career on a high
Since it is the last Test match of his career, Angelo Mathews will be hoping to make a meaningful contribution with the bat or ball to end his red–ball career on high. A strong performance in Galle would serve as a fitting farewell to one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable and admired cricketers in the red-ball format.
Angelo Mathews made his Test debut in 2009 and went on to cement his place in the red-ball side before emerging as an all-format player. The 38-year-old led Sri Lanka in 34 Tests from 2013 to 2017, registering 13 wins, 15 losses, and 6 draws and has a win percentage of 38.23.
Angelo Mathews was at the helm as Sri Lanka’s Test captain when the side clinched a historic series win against England on English soil following a 100-run win at Headingley. He played a brilliant knock of 160 off 249 balls to help Sri Lanka set a 350-run target for England to chase, which was successfully defended by the bowlers, bundling out The Three Lions for 249. Mathews was the first Sri Lankan captain to win a Test Series in England.
The veteran Sri Lanka cricketer will bow out of the longest format as one of the nation’s greatest ambassadors of Test cricket.
