Shane Watson facts for kids
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Watson in 2016
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| Full name |
Shane Robert Watson
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| Born | 17 June 1981 Ipswich, Queensland, Australia |
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| Nickname | Watto | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | All-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 391) | 2 January 2005 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 8 July 2015 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 148) | 24 March 2002 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 5 September 2015 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 33 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 19) | 24 February 2006 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 27 March 2016 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000/01–2003/04 | Tasmania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Hampshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004/05–2008/09 | Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2015 | Rajasthan Royals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010/11–2015/16 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011/12 | Sydney Sixers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012/13 | Brisbane Heat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015/16 | Canterbury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015/16–2018/19 | Sydney Thunder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Islamabad United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | St Lucia Stars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Quetta Gladiators | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Chennai Super Kings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019/20 | Rangpur Riders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 17 January 2019
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Shane Robert Watson, born on June 17, 1981, is a famous Australian cricket coach, commentator, and former player. He played for the Australian national team from 2002 to 2016. Watson was an all-rounder, meaning he was great at both batting (right-handed) and bowling (right-arm fast-medium).
He was known as the world's best all-rounder in Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) for a long time. He held the top spot for 150 weeks! Shane Watson was part of Australia's winning teams in the Cricket World Cup in 2007 and 2015. He also helped Australia win the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009. He was even named the best player in the final match both times!
After retiring from international cricket in 2016, Watson continued to play in Twenty20 leagues around the world. He finally retired from all cricket in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and Cricket Journey
Watson grew up in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. He went to St Marys Primary School and Ipswich Grammar School. Shane started playing cricket when he was very young. He even played for Queensland Primary Schools in a championship in 1993.
He played club cricket in Ipswich before moving to Brisbane Grade Cricket. Watson represented his state at different age levels. He also played for Australia in the 2000 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
In 2000, Watson joined the AIS Australian Cricket Academy. He then moved to Hobart, Tasmania to play for the Tasmanian state team. He quickly showed his talent, scoring his first major century in his fifth match.
International Cricket Career
Starting Out: 2002–2009
Shane Watson first joined the Australian team in early 2002. He was chosen to tour South Africa with the Test team. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut during this tour.
Watson became a regular player in the ODI team. However, he faced some challenges early on. He suffered three stress fractures in his back in 2003, which meant he missed the 2003 Cricket World Cup. When he returned, he could only bat for a while.
In 2004, Watson played for Hampshire in England. He also moved back to his home state to play for Queensland. In January 2005, he made his Test debut for Australia. This was against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
During Australia's 2005 tour of England, the team stayed in Lumley Castle. This castle is thought to be haunted! Watson was so scared by his room that he slept on the floor in his teammate Brett Lee's room.
Watson became a key player, especially in big tournaments. He opened the batting for Australia in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. He scored 57 runs and took 2 wickets in the final, helping Australia win. In the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, he scored two centuries in a row in the semi-final and final. This helped Australia win the trophy again!
He faced more injuries, including a hamstring tear in 2006 and 2007. These injuries kept him out of many important matches. When he returned, he often played as an all-rounder.
In late 2008, Watson took over the all-rounder spot for the tour of India. He had some intense moments on the field, including a confrontation with Indian opener Gautam Gambhir.
In 2009, Watson started opening the batting in Test matches. He scored many important runs, often getting close to his first Test century. Finally, on December 26, 2009, he scored his first Test hundred against Pakistan. He made 120 runs and was named the man of the match.
Success and Awards: 2010–2014
In 2010, Watson continued his great form as a Test opener. He scored another century against India. During 2009 and 2010, he had the highest batting average for an Australian Test player.
| Shane Watson's record as captain | |||||||||
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| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Tied | No result | Win % | |||
| ODI | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 61.11% | ||
| Test | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | ||
| T20I | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | ||
| Date last Updated: | 31 January 2016 | ||||||||
In 2011, Watson became the Test and ODI vice-captain. He also played an amazing innings against Bangladesh, scoring 185 runs not out from just 96 balls. In this match, he set several records, including hitting the most sixes in an ODI innings at the time.
Watson won many awards during this period. He won the prestigious Allan Border Medal in both 2010 and 2011. This award goes to Australia's best male cricketer.
At the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, Australia was not expected to do well. But Shane Watson was in incredible form! He was amazing with both bat and ball. He took many wickets and scored lots of runs. He won four "Man of the Match" awards in a row. Watson was named the "Player of the Tournament" for his outstanding performance.
In 2013, during a Test series in India, Watson and three other players were not chosen for a match. This was because they did not complete a team task. Watson then returned to Australia for the birth of his child. He later came back to captain the team in the final match of the series.
World Cup Victory and Retirement: 2015–2016
Shane Watson was a key part of Australia's team for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. He played in almost every match. Although he had a slow start, he bounced back with a great innings of 67 runs against Sri Lanka.
In the quarter-final against Pakistan, Watson scored 64 runs not out. Australia went on to win the World Cup, beating New Zealand in the final. This was Watson's second World Cup win!
After the 2015 Ashes series, Watson decided to retire from Test cricket. He wanted to focus on playing in the shorter formats of the game.
On January 31, 2016, Watson became the T20I captain for Australia. He scored an amazing 124 runs not out in a T20I match. This made him the first Australian to score a century in all three formats of cricket (Test, ODI, and T20I).
Watson played for Australia in the 2016 World Twenty20 in India. During this tournament, he announced that he would retire from all international cricket. His final match was against India, marking the end of a fantastic international career. He was the last player from Australia's very successful team of the early 2000s to retire.
T20 Franchise Cricket Around the World
Indian Premier League (IPL) Success
Watson played for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for many years. He was named the "Player of the Tournament" in the first IPL season in 2008. He won this award again in 2013. In 2013, he also scored his first T20 century in the IPL.
When Rajasthan Royals were suspended, Watson joined Royal Challengers Bangalore. He later moved to Chennai Super Kings. He scored two more IPL centuries in 2018 and helped Chennai win the tournament.
In the 2019 IPL final, Watson scored 80 runs for Chennai. He got injured during the match but kept playing without telling anyone. His teammate shared a photo showing blood on his pants, which showed his dedication!
Watson played his last IPL season in 2020. On November 2, 2020, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He later joined Delhi Capitals as an assistant coach.
Other Leagues
Watson also played in other T20 leagues. He joined the Sydney Thunder in Australia's Big Bash League (BBL) in 2015. He captained the team and helped them win the BBL that season. In the 2018–19 BBL season, he scored his first BBL century. This made him the first Australian to score centuries in the BBL, IPL, and T20I cricket.
In 2016, Watson played in the first season of the Pakistan Super League for Islamabad United. He later moved to Quetta Gladiators and became their Head Coach for the PSL 9 Season. He also played in the Caribbean Premier League for two seasons.
Achievements and Records
Shane Watson is considered one of the best all-rounders in cricket history, especially in shorter games. By the end of his international career, he was one of only seven cricketers to score over 10,000 runs and take over 250 wickets in international cricket.
In ODI cricket, he was ranked the world's No. 1 all-rounder in 2011. He also reached No. 3 as a batter. He won the Cricket World Cup twice (2007, 2015) and the ICC Champions Trophy twice (2006, 2009). He was the "Player of the Match" in both Champions Trophy finals.
In T20I cricket, he was the world's No. 1 all-rounder for two years. He was also the No. 1 batter at one point. He was named the "Player of the Tournament" in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. He scored the most runs and took the second-most wickets in that tournament.
International Centuries
Watson scored 14 centuries in international cricket. He scored four in Test matches, nine in ODIs, and one in a Twenty20 International. When he scored his T20I century in 2016, he became the first Australian to score a century in all three formats of the game.
| No. | Score | Against | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 120* |  Pakistan |
Melbourne Cricket Ground | 26 December 2009 | Australia won |
| 2 | 126 |  India |
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali | 1 October 2010 | Australia lost |
| 3 | 176 |  England |
The Oval, London | 21 August 2013 | Drawn |
| 4 | 103 | England |
WACA Ground, Perth | 13 December 2013 | Australia won |
| No. | Score | Against | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 126 |  West Indies |
St George's, Grenada | 29 June 2008 | Australia won |
| 2 | 116* | Pakistan |
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 3 May 2009 | Australia lost |
| 3 | 136* | England |
SuperSport Park, Centurion | 2 October 2009 | Australia won |
| 4 | 105* |  New Zealand |
SuperSport Park, Centurion | 5 October 2009 | Australia won |
| 5 | 161* | England |
Melbourne Cricket Ground | 16 January 2011 | Australia won |
| 6 | 185* |  Bangladesh |
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka | 11 April 2011 | Australia won |
| 7 | 122 | West Indies |
Manuka Oval, Canberra | 6 February 2013 | Australia won |
| 8 | 143 | England |
Rose Bowl, Southampton | 16 September 2013 | Australia won |
| 9 | 102 | India |
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur | 30 October 2013 | Australia lost |
| No. | Score | Against | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 124* | India |
Sydney Cricket Ground | 31 January 2016 | Australia lost |
Awards and Recognition
Watson won "Player of the Match" awards 29 times and "Player of the Series" awards 7 times in international cricket. Most of these were in One Day International matches.
Cricket Australia holds annual awards called the Australian Cricket Awards. Watson has won the top award, the Allan Border Medal, twice (in 2010 and 2011). He also won several other awards:
- Allan Border Medal: 2010, 2011
- Test Player of the Year: 2011
- Men's ODI Player of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2012
- Men's T20I Player of the Year: 2012, 2013, 2017
- Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year: 2002
- ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2012
Amazing Records
Shane Watson set some impressive records during his career:
- In an ODI against Bangladesh in 2011, he scored 185 runs. He hit 15 sixes in that innings, which was a record at the time. He also scored 150 runs just from boundaries (fours and sixes), which was also a record.
- In a Test match in 2011, he took 5 wickets for only 17 runs in 5 overs. This was one of the best bowling performances in Test history.
- In a T20I against India in 2016, he scored 124 runs. This was the second-highest score in any T20I at the time. It was also the highest score by a captain in a T20I.
Personal Life
Shane Watson is married to Lee Furlong, who is a broadcaster. They have two children together. Interestingly, while he bats and bowls right-handed, he writes left-handed!
In 2017, Watson started a sports clinic for children called Let’s Activate. It teaches kids basic sports skills through fun activities. He also has his own podcast called Lessons Learnt with the Greats.
In November 2019, he was chosen as the President of the Australian Cricketers' Association.
