Matthew Short Bio
Matthew William Short (born 8 November 1995) is an Australian international cricketer who represents the Australia national team in limited overs cricket. A right-handed top-order batter who also bowls right-arm off break, Short plays for Victoria at the state level, captains the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, and represents the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Standing 1.87 m tall, Short is regarded as a batting all-rounder whose career has grown steadily from domestic ranks in Melbourne to the international stage. He made his senior international debut in 2023 and has since become a regular face in Australia’s white-ball plans.
Early Life and Background
Matthew William Short was born on 8 November 1995 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Growing up in a regional Victorian city with a long sporting tradition, he was exposed to cricket from a young age and developed through local junior pathways before joining higher-level representative programs.
His early cricketing education was shaped by Australia’s structured development system, which channels promising teenage players through performance squads and second XI fixtures. Short’s right-handed batting and right-arm off break bowling were refined during this formative period, setting the foundation for his move into senior state cricket.
Path to Cricket
Short made his one-day debut on 20 July 2014 for the Australia National Performance Squad against South Africa A, as part of the Australia A Team Quadrangular Series. The opportunity marked his first appearance in a senior representative jersey and signalled his arrival on the national radar.
He followed that with a first-class debut for Cricket Australia XI on 29 October 2015, in a tour match against the New Zealanders during New Zealand’s tour of Australia. In mid-November 2017, playing for Cricket Australia XI in a tour match against England at Townsville, he scored his maiden first-class century, finishing on 134 not out in the second innings while also contributing 4/103 with the ball.
Matthew Short Career
Early Career (2014–2018)
Short’s first sustained domestic stretch came with the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, for whom he played from 2014/15 to 2017/18. He balanced Renegades duties with selection-grade appearances for Cricket Australia XI and his home state of Victoria, gradually building a reputation as a clean striker of the ball.
By the end of the 2017/18 summer, Short had crossed both fifty and three figures in first-class cricket, and was ready for a fresh start in franchise cricket with a new Big Bash side.
Adelaide Strikers Breakthrough (2018/19–2022/23)
Short joined the Adelaide Strikers ahead of the 2018/19 Big Bash League season and quickly established himself as a key middle-order player. Ahead of the 2021–22 season, the Strikers promoted him to open the batting, a move that transformed his output. He finished that summer with the second-most sixes in the competition, 26, and the third-most runs, 493.
On 5 January 2023, captaining the Strikers in Peter Siddle’s absence, Short struck his maiden Big Bash century, an unbeaten 100 from 59 balls, while leading the highest successful run chase in BBL history, 230. His all-round contribution that night also included 1/34 from four overs of off spin. On 30 January 2023, he was named BBL12 Player of the Tournament at the Australian Cricket Awards.
International Career (2023–Present)
Short made his Twenty20 International debut against South Africa on 30 August 2023. Two days later, in the second T20I, he scored his maiden international half century, 66 off 30 balls, steering Australia to a comfortable win during a 3-0 series sweep. On 22 September 2023, he added a One Day International debut against India.
His international profile grew further in 2024. In May 2024, he was named as a reserve player in Australia’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. In September 2024, during a white-ball tour of England, he produced two standout moments: a maiden T20I five-wicket haul of 5/22, the third-best figures by an Australian in the format, and a maiden ODI half-century off just 23 balls in the fifth ODI.
Chennai Super Kings Era (2026–Present)
In December 2025, Short was brought in by the Chennai Super Kings at the IPL mini auction held in Abu Dhabi, ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season. The move placed him at one of the most high-profile franchises in world cricket and extended his T20 footprint into the Indian league on a full contract basis, after a 2023 stint with Punjab Kings as an injury replacement for Jonny Bairstow.
His combination of top-order batting and useful off spin gives Chennai a flexible option heading into the 2026 season, and his recent international white-ball form makes him a ready-made contributor in the playing XI.
Driving Style and Strengths
Short’s biggest strength is his ball-striking against pace in the powerplay, where his high back-lift and clean swing have produced some of the heaviest hitting in the Big Bash League. He complements that batting aggression with accurate right-arm off break, a skill that allows captains to use him as a sixth bowling option in the middle overs and provides a handy partnership with the Strikers’ think tank during field-restriction phases.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Short’s signature moments is his unbeaten 100 against the Strikers’ rivals in January 2023, a knock that set the record for the highest successful chase in Big Bash League history. His 5/22 against England in 2024 stands as his most striking bowling performance, while his Player of the Tournament award for BBL12 confirmed his standing as one of the format’s leading all-rounders.
Matthew Short Career Wins
Matthew Short has built a record marked more by impact innings and match-winning spells than by trophy lifts, with consistent run-scoring and wicket-taking contributions across formats for state, franchise and country.
Big Bash League Highlights
Short’s first Big Bash century came while captaining the Adelaide Strikers, an unbeaten 100 that anchored the highest successful run chase in BBL history. He has since been a regular high-impact performer for the Strikers and was named BBL12 Player of the Tournament in January 2023.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Big Bash, Short has produced consistent domestic numbers for Victoria in Sheffield Shield and one-day cricket, including a maiden first-class century for Cricket Australia XI. In 2019, a club stint with Coggeshall Town CC in England yielded 1,100 runs at an average of 55, underlining his appetite for runs in varied conditions.
Matthew Short Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Short’s parents and wider family is limited, and no sporting lineage is documented in available sources.
Personal Life
Short is married to Australian swimmer Madison Wilson, and the couple have a son.
2025 Season Performance
Short’s 2025 campaign was split between the Indian Premier League, Major League Cricket in the United States, and Australia’s home white-ball commitments. He represented the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket during the 2025 season, continuing his run of franchise appearances in overseas T20 competitions following stints with the Washington Freedom in 2023 and the Northern Superchargers in 2023 and 2024.
At international level, he remained part of Australia’s white-ball plans, with ODI appearances in 2025 and 2026 and T20I caps extending into 2026, including a match against Pakistan on 1 February 2026. His form with the bat, combined with useful spells of off spin, kept him in contention for selection across formats.
Looking ahead, Short’s outlook for 2026 is shaped by his move to the Chennai Super Kings and his ongoing role with the Adelaide Strikers and Victoria. A strong IPL debut season with Chennai, paired with continued runs in the Big Bash, would underline his place as a long-term all-format option for Australia.