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Express Tribune
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
My last few games were ordinary: Mathews
The curtains are set to come down on Angelo Mathews' illustrious Test career in less than a weeks time in Galle – a fitting stage for a grand finale. A teenage prodigy once tipped to be the next big all-rounder, Mathews weathered many storms, reinvented his game and ultimately carved out a niche as a dependable middle-order batter. With 8,167 Test runs to his name, he signs off as Sri Lanka's third-highest run-scorer, behind the towering twin pillars of Kumara Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814). Unlike his two illustrious predecessors who batted with a touch of poetry, Mathews' craft was forged in grit rather than grace. His wasn't a willow that sang, but one that scraped and scrapped, often when the chips were down. Few would have wagered on him joining the elite run club, but through sheer consistency and an indomitable spirit, he made it. In an exclusive interview with Telecom Asia Sport ( Mathews opened up about his decision to hang up his boots. "I wasn't happy with my returns in the last seven to nine games. By my standards, it wasn't up to the mark. I looked at the calendar – only two Tests scheduled over the next 18 months. One at 38, another at 39. Felt like a long wait and I thought it's best a younger player gets a crack. Mathews admitted he was proud, yet slightly wistful. "I never dreamt I'd finish as the third-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka, especially behind two legends of the game. Yes, there's a tinge of disappointment not breaching that 10,000-run mark. Injuries and setbacks played their part, but I'm ever grateful to God for letting me play 118 Tests." Though the whites are being folded away, Mathews isn't done with cricket just yet. With the T20 World Cup coming up – co-hosted by Sri Lanka in eight months – he hasn't ruled out one final hurrah in coloured clothing. Mathews said I've always said that Test cricket is the ultimate examination. Like Virat Kohli mentioned, it's where you truly earn respect. It tests every aspect — your skill, your character, your patience. That's the real deal. "I've always said that Test cricket is the ultimate examination. Like Virat Kohli mentioned, it's where you truly earn respect. It tests every aspect — your skill, your character, your patience. That's the real deal," he said. Mathews also fondly recalled two crowning moments in his career – leading Sri Lanka to their first-ever Test series win in England in 2014, and the historic 3-0 whitewash of Australia in 2016 to lift the Warne-Murali Trophy. "That England series was something else — scoring back-to-back hundreds and winning from behind was deeply satisfying. Then to beat Australia 3-0 was special. I'll always be grateful to the players and support staff who made those memories possible." Beyond his own milestones, Mathews takes quiet pride in having nurtured the next generation. More than half of the current national side debuted under his captaincy. "There's no greater satisfaction than seeing those youngsters blossom into match-winners. Identifying talent is one thing, but backing them through lean patches is what really matters. Watching them now — they're vital cogs in the wheel. It gives me hope that Sri Lankan cricket is in good hands."
Hans India
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Was unhappy with my returns in last few matches, says Angelo Mathews as he ends red-ball career
Mumbai: As he walks into a cricketing sunset as Sri Lanka's third most successful batter in Test cricket, Sri Lanka's former captain Angelo Mathews says his decision to hang up his boots was hastened by low returns in his last seven to nine red-ball matches. With Sri Lanka set to play fewer red-ball matches in the next 18 months, the 38-year-old right-handed batter and right-arm medium pacer decided to quit red-ball cricket, vacating the spot for a youngster. "I wasn't happy with my returns in the last seven to nine games. By my standards, it wasn't up to the mark. I looked at the calendar – only two Tests scheduled over the next 18 months. One at 38, another at 39. Felt like a long wait, and I thought it's best a younger player gets a crack," Mathews told Telecom Asia Sport ( in an exclusive interview on Thursday. Mathews signs off with 8,167 Test runs to his name, which makes him Sri Lanka's third-highest run-scorer, behind the legendary Kumar Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814). Mathews admitted he was proud, yet slightly wistful. 'I never dreamt I'd finish as the third-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka, especially behind two legends of the game. Yes, there's a tinge of disappointment not breaching that 10,000-run mark. Injuries and setbacks played their part, but I'm ever grateful to God for letting me play 118 Tests.' EYES ON T20 WORLD CUP Mathews is still hoping to play other formats of the game and especially wants to end his career with a last hurrah in coloured clothing. With the T20 World Cup coming up – that Sri Lanka is co-hosting with India -- in eight months, the 38-year-old allrounder hasn't ruled out one final attempt to claim an ICC title. "I've always said that Test cricket is the ultimate examination. Like Virat Kohli mentioned, it's where you truly earn respect. It tests every aspect – your skill, your character, your patience. That's the real deal," said Mathews. Mathews also fondly recalled two crowning moments of his career – leading Sri Lanka to their first-ever Test series win in England in 2014, and the historic 3-0 whitewash of Australia in 2016 to lift the Warne-Murali Trophy. 'That England series was something else – scoring back-to-back hundreds and winning from behind was deeply satisfying. Then to beat Australia 3-0 was special. I'll always be grateful to the players and support staff who made those memories possible,' he was quoted as saying in the interview. Beyond his milestones, Mathews takes quiet pride in having nurtured the next generation. More than half of the current national side debuted under his captaincy. 'There's no greater satisfaction than seeing those youngsters blossom into match-winners. Identifying talent is one thing, but backing them through lean patches is what really matters. Watching them now – they're vital cogs in the wheel. It gives me hope that Sri Lankan cricket is in good hands.' What will add more glitter to his career will be ending his international career with an ICC title or two.
NDTV
11-06-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi Face Massive Blow, This Time Ignored For Pakistan's Tours Of...
The national senior men's selection Committee has continued to ignore former captains Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and has excluded them from the T20 squads for the upcoming tours of Bangladesh and West Indies. The Pakistan selectors decided not to include the senior players in consultation with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and skipper Salman Agha, according to a report in Telecom Asia Sport ( The decision seems based on their recent performances in white-ball tours and the ICC Champions Trophy. Rizwan led Pakistan to a 2-0 T20 series defeat in South Africa, in which Babar also took part. After that, both were dropped from the New Zealand tour and the home series against Bangladesh. 'Pakistan's management and selection committee want to move on from Babar and Rizwan despite Hesson and Salman both saying that the door was not shut on the two former openers, whose strike rate and batting form in T20Is were part of Pakistan's problems in recent defeats,' a senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told The selection committee, which now has former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed and former pacer Sikander Bakht as observers, has ensured that squads for the three-match T20I series in Bangladesh and the West Indies will have none of these problematic players, the report said, quoting another source. Pakistan play Bangladesh on July 20, 22, and 24 before flying to Florida to play five T20Is against the West Indies. The report also claimed that Hesson had wanted Babar and Rizwan in the squad for the Bangladesh series, but former star Aaqib Javed refused to include them by saying that some youngsters should be tried in a relatively easier home series, sources said. Shaheen was part of the squad on the New Zealand tour, where he was taken apart by Tim Siefert as Pakistan lost the series 4-1. Shaheen got just two wickets in four matches at an economy of 10.23 and was dropped for the last game, the report said. Sources said reports of Shaheen being non-cooperative with the captain and team management also went against him. The report said that Hesson met all three stars – Babar, Shaheen, and Rizwan – during preparatory sessions in Lahore and discussed his strategy for the selection, and briefed them on his plans for the three players. Sources also said skipper Salman Agha was against Shaheen's inclusion in the team as he wants to continue with his plans to try out youngsters and prepare a good backup. Pakistan are also scheduled to play T20I series with Afghanistan, Ireland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Australia to give their team some solid preparations for next year's World Cup to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Express Tribune
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
'Kohli could have played for few more years'
Former Pakistan captains Javed Miandad and Shahid Afridi believe Indian batting great Virat Kohli still had a few good years of Test cricket left in him, but was compelled to retire prematurely due to what they call unfair treatment by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Kohli, India's leading batsman in Tests and ODIs for over a decade, retired from the five-day format last month — an announcement many saw as abrupt and unexpected, bringing an end to a glittering red-ball career. Although Kohli's dip in form since 2020 fueled criticism, several voices within the cricketing world, including former Indian captain Anil Kumble, as well as Miandad and Afridi, maintain that Kohli still had the skills, fitness, and passion to continue at the highest level. "There's no denying that Kohli has been a modern-day great, a match-winner, and a fine captain," Miandad told Telecom Asia Sport ( "For him to leave the game he loved so suddenly suggests there's more to the story. In my view, he could have easily played until the end of 2027. Sure, he had a rough patch, but show me a great batsman who hasn't." Miandad hinted at behind-the-scenes tensions as a possible reason for Kohli's exit. "Maybe I'm wrong, but my gut says things weren't right between Kohli and the BCCI. The fact that the board didn't even organize a proper farewell for him says a lot," he added. Afridi echoed Miandad's sentiments, backing Kohli's legacy while criticizing the lack of support from Indian cricket administrators. "You can say a lot about Kohli — he's been fiery, sometimes controversial — but you can't deny what he's done for Indian cricket," Afridi said. "He gave his all for the team and won matches single-handedly. Players like him are rare, and they deserve to be treated differently." Afridi acknowledged Kohli's once-tense relationships with the BCCI and other figures in Indian cricket, but emphasized how much the batsman had evolved. "He used to be hot-headed. I remember even Sunil Gavaskar once asked the BCCI to rein him in. But since his marriage, he's matured a lot. He deserved more respect," Afridi said.
Qatar Tribune
13-05-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
PCB to sack Waqar, Malik and Misbah as mentors of domestic teams
Shahid Hashmi Telecom Asia Sport The Pakistan Cricket Board has removed Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Sarfaraz Ahmed as mentors with the domestic teams as the former greats were not producing the desired results. With the yesteryears' stars failing to produce the desired results in return for the huge money they were being paid, the PCH decided to sack them, sources told Telecom Asia Sport ( The quintet, greats in their playing days, were tasked to help the domestic teams and players, both men and women, in August last year. But media and other former players criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for paying a whopping five million rupees (18,000 US dollars) to each of them for the job. 'PCB chairman has conveyed to the mentors that their services were no longer required as the desired results were not achieved,' said sources. 'The huge amount of money also has its implications with fears that the International Cricket Council's annual funding may be reduced in the wake of fears that television rights of international cricket may attract less price in the next cycle (2028-2032).' Malik, having sensed PCB's imminent decision, had conveyed to the Board that he doesn't want to continue as mentor as he was finding it difficult to juggle between his commercial commitments and mentorship. Shockingly, the five mentors were also allowed to do media assignments during the Champions Trophy and Pakistan Super League – earning millions more from Pakistani channels. Malik was forced to defend his role as mentor during his appearance for national channel, the Pakistan Television, during the Champions Trophy. 'We are not PCB's employees.' Malik justified mentors' appearance on TV despite being involved with domestic teams. Pakistan's domestic cricket is considered as the main reason for the country's poor showings at the international level. Sources said Misbah and Sarfaraz will still be part of the PCB in new positions. Misbah is amongst the candidates to take over as red-ball head coach, having been Pakistan's most successful Test captain with 26 wins in 56 Tests.
