Watson announces retirement: I feel crazily lucky to have lived out my dream

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has ended his playing career after appearing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.

 
 

Shane Watson has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, revealing the time feels right after living out his boyhood dream.

The former Australia all-rounder has decided to end his playing career after concluding his duties for the Chennai Super Kings at the 2020 Indian Premier League.

Watson - who scored 14 in his final appearance against Kolkata Knight Riders - played in 59 Tests, 190 one-dayers and 58 Twenty20 games during an international career that spanned 14 years.

Since his last appearance for Australia in 2016, the 39-year-old has been in action in T20 leagues around the world, including stints in the IPL, Pakistan Super League and the Caribbean Premier League.

"It all started out as a dream," Watson said in a video posted to his own 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.

"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 scored four Test hundreds and averaged just over 40 in the ODI format, often batting at the top of the order for Australia.

The big-hitting right-hander starred for Chennai in the 2018 IPL final, smashing 117 not out to help the franchise secure a third title in their history.

He scored 299 runs at an average of 29.90 in this season's competition in Abu Dhabi, though was unable to help the Super Kings qualify for the play-offs.