Angelo Mathews Retires from Test Cricket After 119 Matches Veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews has officially retired from Test cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable red-ball career that spanned from 2009 to 2025. Mathews played his final Test match against Bangladesh on Saturday, June 21, fulfilling his announcement made last month to step away from the longest format after the opening game of the series.
Although retiring from Tests, the 38-year-old will continue to be available for Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket. A right-handed batter and right-arm medium pacer, Mathews made his Test debut in July 2009 against Pakistan and quickly became one of the most dependable players in the Sri Lankan lineup.
Over the course of his 119-Test career, Mathews scored 8,214 runs, making him Sri Lanka’s third-highest run-scorer in Test history—trailing only legends Kumar Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814). He also became just the seventh Sri Lankan cricketer to reach the milestone of 100 or more Test appearances.
As Mathews steps away from the red-ball arena, we look back at the impressive numbers that define his legacy in Test cricket.
Angelo Mathews’ Test Batting Record:
Over a distinguished 17-year career from 2009 to 2025, Angelo Mathews featured in 119 Test matches for Sri Lanka, batting in 212 innings. He amassed a total of 8,214 runs at an impressive average of 44.40. His tally includes 45 half-centuries and 16 centuries. Among his standout performances was an unbeaten double century (200*) against Zimbabwe in January 2020, which remains his highest score in Test cricket.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Matches Played | 119 |
| Innings Batted | 212 |
| Runs Scored | 8,214 |
| 50s / 100s | 45 / 16 |
| Batting Average | 44.40 |
| Highest Score | 200* (vs Zimbabwe, Jan 2020) |
Angelo Mathews’ Test Bowling Record:
Across 119 Test matches, Angelo Mathews bowled in 86 innings and picked up 33 wickets at an average of 54.48. Although he never claimed a five-wicket haul in the format, his best bowling performance came against England at Headingley, Leeds in June 2014, where he recorded figures of 4 for 44.
| Detail | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Venue | Headingley, Leeds |
| Opponent | England |
| Date | June 2014 |
| Matches Played | 119 |
| Innings Played | 86 |
| Wickets Taken | 33 |
| Bowling Average | 54.48 |
| Best Bowling (Innings) | 4/44 |
Angelo Mathews’ captaincy record in Test cricket:
Angelo Mathews took over the Test captaincy from Mahela Jayawardene in February 2013. He led the Sri Lankan team in 34 Test matches until January 2017. Although he was initially named the T20I captain in October 2012, Mathews was eventually entrusted with leadership responsibilities across all three formats of the game.
| Period as Test Captain | Feb 2013 – Jan 2017 |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Captained | 34 |
| Matches Won | 13 |
| Matches Drawn | 6 |
| Matches Lost | 15 |
| Captaincy Across Formats | Took over leadership in all formats after first being named T20I captain in Oct 2012 |
