Top 5 Memorable IPL Performances By Shane Watson

We will not see Shane Watson don an IPL jersey ever again in the future. The two-time IPL-winning all-rounder recently announced that he has decided to close the cricketing chapter of his life following a disappointing season for the Chennai Super Kings.

Watson’s 2020 IPL campaign mirrored that of his franchise, but that should not take anything away from the fact that the Australian will always remain as one of the greatest players to ever grace the cash-rich league. A two-time ‘Player of the Tournament’ [in 2008 and 2013]; a monstrous hitter of a cricket bat and a very handy seam bowler in his prime, Shane Watson lit up the IPL with his 3-D skills like few have.

Watson finished his career as an all-time IPL great, having scored 3874 runs at an average of 30.99 and a strike-rate of 137.91 with 21 half-centuries and four hundred besides claiming 92 wickets at 29.15.

On that note, here’s a look at Shane Watson’s top-5 IPL performances:

52 off 29 & 3-10, Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals, 1st S/F, IPL 2008

That Shane Watson is a big-match player was once again proved to the hilt during the 1st semi-final of the inaugural IPL between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals.

Watson smashed a whirlwind 29-ball 52- an innings which included 4 fours and 3 monstrous sixes- to help RR post 9-192 in 20 overs.

But he wasn’t done yet! The champion all-rounder three prized scalps in the form of Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan, and Gautam Gambhir to break the back of the Capitals batting-unit, eventually finishing with figures of 3-10 in three overs as Rajasthan Royals routed the Delhi Capitals by 105 runs to make their way in the summit clash against CSK.

2-20 & 61* off 41 balls, Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2008

Another match where Shane Watson displayed just why he is one of the greatest all-rounders in white-ball cricket history.

The Australian all-rounder claimed the crucial wickets of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Rahul Dravid in a spell that read: 4-0-20-2.

Watson’s spell paved way for RR to restrict RCB to 8-135 in 20 overs and to ensure that there were no jitters in chasing down the total, Watto smoked an unbeaten 41-ball 61 with the help of eight fours and two sixes to drive home the game by seven wickets. No wonder why he was named the ‘Player of the Match’ and for that matter the ‘Player of the Tournament’ in Rajasthan’s title-winning heist.

101 off 61 balls, Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2013

Shane Watson was in cracking form with both bat and ball throughout the 2013 season of the IPL, similar to the tunes of the 2008 season.

This time too Watson was named as the ‘Player of the Series’ and one of his better performances came against his future team in Chennai Super Kings.

The burly all-rounder carted the Chennai bowlers to all corners of the Chepauk, registering a whirlwind 61-ball 101- an innings which included six 4s and as many sixes.

Watson’s 101 helped RR to post 4-185 in 20 overs but unfortunately, his efforts were trumped by his compatriot, Mike Hussey, who smashed a near chanceless 51-ball 88 to help CSK overhaul the target with ease.

117* off 57 balls, Chennai Super Kings vs SunRisers Hyderabad, IPL 2018 Final

“Cometh the hour, cometh Shane Watson”, this saying was once again proved to its absolute hilt during the IPL 2018 finals between Chennai Super Kings and SunRisers Hyderabad.

Chasing 179 to lift the title, CSK needed one of their senior players to step up and take the run-chase by the scruff off its neck. And, once again, it was Shane Watson who put his hands up as if to say- ‘Don’t worry guys, I’ve got this’

After having struggled his way to 7 off 15 balls, Watson teed off with absolute disdain to smash the Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar-led SunRisers Hyderabad attack to the tune of 117* off just 57 balls with the help of 11 fours and eight monstrous sixes to hand CSK its third IPL title.

80 off 59 balls, Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2019 Final

After having played the innings of his life in the 2018 IPL final, Shane Watson was at it again- this time with a bloodied knee- in the 2019 summit clash against the Mumbai Indians.

After having endured a horror run in the league-stage, Shane Watson turned it on when it really mattered as he single-handedly spearheaded the run-chase of 150.

Despite having an injured knee, Watson battled like a warrior, smashing 80 off the required 150 runs even as his fellow batsmen fell like nine pins.

Watson very nearly took CSK to another titular heist but for that unfortunate run-out in the last over of the innings. The image of Shane Watson batting with a bloodied knee truly testified his passion and dedication towards his franchise and even though he eventually failed to get CSK over the line, his valor and unrelenting grit once again etched his name in the cricketing folklore for eternity.

Also Read- ‘Hope I have given back to you all’: Emotional Shane Watson Delivers Heartfelt Message To CSK Fans