One of the greatest overseas players to have featured in the Indian Premier League, former Australia allrounder Shane Watson announced that he has played his last game of cricket.
Confirming the news that had been doing the rounds since Monday, Watson said that his campaign for Chennai Super Kings at IPL 2020 will be his last in competitive cricket.
Even before his official announcement on Tuesday, tributes had already been made to the former stalwart of the Australian side. Watson quit international cricket in 2016 but kept playing in Twenty20 leagues such as the IPL. He retired from Australia’s Big Bash last year.
He has played more than 700 international and domestic matches, scoring more than 25,000 runs with his big-hitting style and claiming in excess of 600 wickets with his pace bowling.
Watson won the inaugural IPL in 2008 with the Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals and secured a second with Chennai in 2018. He has scored 3,874 runs and taken 92 wickets in the world’s richest cricket tournament, where he has played 145 matches for Chennai, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Here are the best tributes to the IPL superstar:
#ShaneWatsonRetires
— The Field (@thefield_in) November 3, 2020
This will go down as one of the iconic #ShaneWatson images: when he batted with a bleeding leg during the epic #IPL2019 final that eventually MI won.
An IPL legend. pic.twitter.com/ZGhUbItBrm
Thank you Watto Man, for everything. May your next chapter open with a bang, as always. Farewell beloved. 🦁💛 #ThankYouWattoMan #WhistlePodu #Yellove pic.twitter.com/lksEyODg19
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) November 3, 2020
It all started with a 🏆
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 3, 2020
What a journey, Watto! 🙌#HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | @ShaneRWatson33 pic.twitter.com/4HQRDO875R
🧢 59 Tests, 190 ODIs, 58 T20Is
— ICC (@ICC) November 3, 2020
💥 10,950 international runs
🏅 Player of the Tournament at 2012 T20WC
🏆 2007 and 2015 ICC Men's CWC champion
🇦🇺 Australian legend Shane Watson has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
Thanks for the memories, Shane 🙌 pic.twitter.com/9gQELTn724
Needless to say a champion cricketer in every right ,but also one of the nicest I have met , congratulations on an awesome career ,Thank you Watto 🙌🏼👍🏼 #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/qSImzV6m3d
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) November 2, 2020
The curtain closes on a remarkable @IPL career. Congratulations mate you’ve done yourself proud and made every team you’ve played in so complete. #ShaneWatson
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) November 2, 2020
Congratulations on an amazing career @ShaneRWatson33 it was a pleasure sharing a dressing room and learning from you this season at CSK, all the best 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/lN23x4XJEC
— Sam Curran (@CurranSM) November 3, 2020
Thank you @ShaneRWatson33. Go well with your retirement 👏 #WatsonRetires pic.twitter.com/tOUl54KeBs
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) November 2, 2020
Huge congrats on an amazing career to a phenomenal cricketer & even better bloke!
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) November 2, 2020
Very lucky to have had you as a teammate on various occasions; the impact and learnings I have benefited from spending time with you have been immense.
Enjoy retirement @ShaneRWatson33 #GiddyUppp
And @ShaneRWatson33 calls an end on an amazing career. Honour to share the field with such a fantastic cricketer. Go well in retirement buddy! pic.twitter.com/Ca3QPFr1PH
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) November 2, 2020
You were very good for Australia @ShaneRWatson33 but you were especially good for the @IPL. Those early years, the MVPs, the 2018 & 2019 finals.There is a small group of overseas stars who enriched the #IPL & you will always be in the list. Go well, hopefully our paths will cross
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 3, 2020
A little late to the party 🎉 but just wanted to congratulate @ShaneRWatson33 on a wonderful career in all formats. Certainly going to miss seeing your smiling 😁 dial on the ground & the slow walk off the field when you got out 😬 Enjoy your next phase 👏🏽👏🏽
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) November 3, 2020
Congratulations on a wonderful career @ShaneRWatson33 you were one of the greatest all-rounders of modern day cricket, really enjoyed playing against you. Hope you have a great time and life post-retirement.
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) November 3, 2020
Watto legend of the game!
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) November 3, 2020
Here's wishing you all the success in your next innings! @ShaneRWatson33 https://t.co/Xh0ScSLsYh
Instagram story of Shane Watson (Special memories):
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 3, 2020
- Picture with his dad.
- Australia debut
- 2006 CT.
- 2007 WC.
- 2009 CT.
- 2015 WC.
- Walking with son.
And one was the Hundred in 2018 IPL final. pic.twitter.com/JDrbKwkcfU
This will be remembered forever -
— Chennai Super Kings FC (@CskIPLTeam) November 2, 2020
Dedication Level- Shane Watson. @ShaneRWatson33 pic.twitter.com/ioNJDx8dXY
Shane Watson will always be a RR player for me. And part of that magical first edition which they won. He is truly an IPL legend- the IPL revived his international career way back & he more than paid back. Well played & thank you for the cricket!
— Naomi Datta (@nowme_datta) November 2, 2020
Congratulations to @ShaneRWatson33 on an amazing IPL career. Early years Watson was a genuine all rounder who would contribute with bat & ball, his post-Powerplay acceleration with the bat was astonishing & his century in the 2018 final one of T20's greatest innings. #IPL2020
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) November 2, 2020
Never thought he'd fit into the CSK setup. Rest is history. 🤷🏻♀️ Go well, Watto! #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/edo4YggCF0
— Manya (@CSKian716) November 2, 2020
Watto feast for the eyes it’s been to watch you bat @ShaneRWatson33 ! You shone like the sun in yellow, and to every other fellow, you were nothing short of SHANE-SATIONAL!
— Bhavna Balakrishnan (@Bhavna__B) November 2, 2020
Farewell big man! You were our pride, one of us always! #Lion #superking @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/9xUxgHgtJT