Shane Watson's 3 most clutch knocks in the IPL
Former Australian cricketer Shane Watson took the Indian Premier League (IPL) by storm, especially towards the end of his T20 career, where he was a part of Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s squad. Watson found his place in the Yellow Army after the 2018 mega auction and lifted the title with the team that year.
Even in his mid-30s, Watson was a crucial cog in CSK’s lineup as he put up stellar all-round performances, helping the team win some matches from crunch situations. As good a player as he was for the Aussies, Watson was equally impressive in the cash-rich event.
As he celebrates his 43rd birthday today (June 17), let us look at three of his most clutch knocks in the IPL throughout his career.
#3 52(29), Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2008
Representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the inaugural edition of the mega event, Watson played clinical knocks with the bat and contributed equally with the ball throughout the tournament. One such all-round outing of his came against the Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in the semi-final clash.
After being put to bat first, RR got off to a strong start and sailed through the powerplay, scoring 58 runs without losing any wicket. Farveez Maharoof then got the crucial breakthrough as RR lost their openers in the seventh over.
It was then the blistering knock of 52(29) by Shane Watson, coupled with a 21-ball 45 by Yusuf Pathan which helped RR get to 192/9 in their 20 overs. Watson was phenomenal with the ball too, as he scalped three wickets in the second essay to restrict Delhi to 87.
RR clinched a massive 105-run victory to make their way into the final. The Shane Warne-led side eventually lifted the trophy that season by defeating CSK.
#2 80(59), Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2019
Shane Watson’s knock against CSK’s arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) in the high-intense encounter of the IPL 2019 will go down as one of his finest in the history of the tournament. He put up noteworthy performances with a bleeding knee to get his side over the line, only to miss by the barest of margins.
Batting first, MI put up a 150-run target for CSK to chase as both teams were in a quest to clinch their respective fourth IPL title. CSK got off to a decent start, but Faf du Plessis’ wicket initiated an unwanted collapse. While the middle-order batters couldn’t do much, Watson stood strong amid a knee injury.
It all came down to the final over, where Watson was unfortunately run out as CSK’s hopes faced a setback. Lasith Malinga’s prowess with the ball was on full display as he dismissed Shardul Thakur on the game’s final delivery when CSK needed just two runs to win. MI eventually clinched a thrilling one-run win to lift their fourth IPL trophy.
Watson, who underwent surgery after terribly injuring his knee, was disappointed with the result but gained massive respect from his fans worldwide after the breathtaking knock.
#1 117*(57), Chennai Super Kings vs SunRisers Hyderabad, IPL 2018
Shane Watson notched up a century during the IPL 2018 final against SunRisers Hyderabad as CSK scripted a comeback for the ages to remember to win their third IPL title. The Aussie all-rounder scored an unbeaten 117 off 57 deliveries to help his side cross the finish line.
Chasing a 179-run target, CSK’s start was worrisome as opener Faf du Plessis was dismissed cheaply. Watson too struggled with the bat as he failed to open his account after facing 10 deliveries in the game.
What followed next was absolute carnage from the opening batter, as he racked up 117 runs off the next 47 deliveries that he faced to complete a magnificent century. Watson’s knock included 11 fours and eight maximums as he formed formidable partnerships with Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu en route to the win.
Courtesy of his out-of-the-world knock, Watson bagged the Player of the Match award as CSK won the game by eight wickets and nine balls to spare.