• Watson calls time on cricket career

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    Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has formally retired from all forms of cricket after the Chennai Super Kings’ exit from this year’s IPL.

    The 39-year-old on Tuesday confirmed in a video announcement that the end of the road has finally come for him after an illustrious stint for both club and country.

    Watson retired from international cricket back in 2015 following Australia’s World Cup triumph on home soil but still continued his involvement in T20 leagues across the world, most notably representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore and CSK in the IPL, as well as the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.

    ‘It all started out as a dream,’ Watson said on his YouTube channel.

    ‘As a young kid saying to my mum as I watched a Test match as a five-year-old, “I want to play cricket for Australia.”

    ‘Now as I officially announce my retirement from all cricket, I feel crazily lucky to have lived out my dream and then some.

    ‘It really does feel like the right time knowing I played my last game of cricket ever for my beloved CSK who have been so incredibly good to me over the last three years.

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    ‘To think I’m finishing up my playing days as a 39-year-old after all of my injury setbacks along the way, I feel so ridiculously fortunate.’

    Watson started his professional career with Tasmania in Australia back in 2000, completing a whopping 20-year career, which included a total of 745 matches across all formats.

    On the international stage, the right-hander played 59 Test matches for the Baggy Greens, 190 ODIs and 58 T20Is and was part of the victorious 2007 and 2015 Australian World Cup teams.

    He also has a couple of Ashes triumphs under his belt and was once the No 1-ranked all-rounder in the world in T2o cricket.

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    Andre Huisamen