Eyes on t20 world cup

EYES ON T20 WORLD CUP: 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 (www.telecomasia.net) in an exclusive interview on Thursday.