One of the best all-rounders Australia have ever produced, Shane Watson has been a torch-bearer of the game in the country. The 34-year-old decided to call it a day with teammates in Mohali on the eve of Australia’s vital clash against India in 2016.
Watson played 190 ODIs, scoring 5,757 runs at an average of 40.54 and taking 168 wickets at 31.79 apiece. The 34-year-old has won caps in 56 T20 internationals so far and will carry on till Australia survive at the World T20 race.
Watson retired from Tests following the 2014-15 Ashes series in England. He has appeared in 59 Tests, scoring 3,731 runs at an average of 35.19 and taking 75 wickets at 33.68.
Here we look at some of the noteworthy achievements of Shane Watson from his glorious career:
1. Shane Watson was awarded the Allan Border Medal in 2010 and 2011. (Allan Border Medal is the most prestigious individual prize in Australian cricket, which is awarded to the most outstanding player of the year).
2. He is the only player to win four consecutive Man of the Match awards in an ICC event. He did it in 2012 World T20.
3. Watson is a scholarship holder from AIS (Australian Cricket Academy). He received it in the year 2000.
4. Bagged 17 one-day man-of-the-match awards including 4 man of the series awards.
5. Played in all 6 World T20s (2007 to 2016), including player of the tournament in 2012
6. He has won a total of 6 awards in the Tests, ODI & T20I player of the year awards category, which is the most by any player.
7. He became Australia’s 44th Test captain in 2012.
8. He holds the record of the highest individual score while chasing (185*) in ODI.
9. Shane Watson is the only player to win ICC Player of the Year award in all formats which is an achievements every cricketer will dream.
10. He is the only player to claim the number 1 spot for both batting and all-rounder in T20Is.
11. He was adjudged Man of the Tournament in 2012 World T20 (249 runs and 11 wickets).
Shane Watson made his debut on 24 March 2002 against South Africa and announced his retirement on 24 March 2016. However, he continues to play in various franchise-based T20 leagues across the globe.
The 39-year-old all-rounder has been a vital cog in the Chennai Super Kings in the last two years. He played a significant role in helping the MS Dhoni-led side lif their third IPL title in 2018. He scored 555 runs from 15 IPL games including two centuries and fifties each to take his side to glory.
Shane Watson also had a decent IPL in the last season and will hope to come back stronger in 2020. Currently, BCCI is looking at all options to host the tournament which was postponed due to COVID-19.
