By A day after announcing retirement from all forms of cricket, former Australia cricketer and CSK opener Shane Watson has announced it formally on Tuesday.
The 39-year-old cricketer released a video announcing the decision on Tuesday. “One chapter closes and the other new and exciting one opens,” says Watson in his announcement video. Watson had informed about it after CSK’s final IPL 2020 match against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, which the Yellow Army won by nine wickets.
Watson, who was bought by CSK two years ago, had already retired from international cricket in 2015. He played a vital role in the Chennai-based franchise’s third IPL title win in 2018 with a century in the final.
This closing chapter is going to be so hard to top, but I am going to try.
I truly am forever grateful to have lived this amazing dream.
Now onto the next exciting one…#thankyou https://t.co/Og8aiBcWpE— Shane Watson (@ShaneRWatson33) November 3, 2020
“It all started as a dream as a young kid saying to my Mum, as I watched a Test match, that I want to play for Australia. Now as I officially announce my retirement from all cricket I feel crazily lucky to live my dream,” Watson said in the video.
“This closing chapter is going to be so hard to top, but I am going to try. I truly am forever grateful to have lived this amazing dream. Now onto the next exciting one…,” Watson said.
Although he had an indifferent season this year, Watson has been one of the icons of the cash-rich league, scoring 3874 runs and picking up 92 wickets in 145 IPL matches.
Before CSK, he had also turned out for Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore and had played a crucial role in the Royals’ maiden title win in the inaugural edition in 2008.
Watson, who has played 59 Tests, 190 ODIs, and 58 T20s at the international level, has won the ICC World Cup with Australia twice, in 2007 and in 2015. In Tests, Watson scored 3731 runs and picked up 75 wickets, and scored 5757 runs and scalped 168 wickets in ODIs to finish his career as one of the leading all-rounders of his era.
