Veteran allrounder crowned player of the tournament as his Quetta side take out Pakistan Super League
Ageless Watson wins MVP in Pakistan
Shane Watson has been crowned the player of the tournament for the 2019 Pakistan Super League (PSL) but not before he was on the receiving end of a send-off after being run out cheaply in the final.
Watson was run out for just seven in the tournament decider after being called through for a tight single, with a direct hit finding him well short of his ground.
RUN OUT! @ShaneRWatson33 is dismissed courtesy of an error in judgement from @iamAhmadshahzad. Quetta Gladiators are 21/1 in the 3rd over now Ball-by-ball clips & scorecard 👉 https://t.co/6DBUDl8EUY #QGvPZ #PSL2019 #PSLFinal #KhelDeewanoKa #CricketForAll pic.twitter.com/fLzR1fxBAg%E2%80%94 Cricingif (@_cricingif) March 17, 2019
His disappointment was compounded as he received an earful from Pakistan batsman Imam-ul-Haq on his way off the ground.
Mr Imam ul haq , Shane Watson is one of the greatest player of this PSL.He has came here & u r showing such behavior to him. U r young player u shouldn't be involved in these things. If you think no one will ask abt ur attitude,then u r wrong. Show some respect to foreign players pic.twitter.com/yU4mrEL1EP%E2%80%94 Muzamil Ghafar (@FOLLOWMuzamil00) March 17, 2019
But the 37-year-old former Australia international had the last laugh as his side Quetta Gladiators claimed the PSL crown at Karachi's national stadium in front of a full house, beating the Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets.
Before his run out in the final, Watson had dominated against the Zalmi in the tournament, scoring 181 runs at an average of 90.5 while striking at 160.2 in three games.
He finished the campaign with a tournament-high 430 runs at a strike-rate of 143.81.
Watson had not played in Pakistan in the two previous tournaments and was originally looking like avoiding the country again in 2019, however a change of heart put the 59-Test veteran on a collision course with T20 glory.
"It has been a tough decision, more so from my family's point of view, and it all comes down to the support that my wife and my family has given me," Watson said in a statement earlier this month with regards to returning to Pakistan, which has hosted minimal international cricket across the past decade.
"I am very excited as it has been 14 years since I was in Pakistan last."
ICC chief executive Dave Richardson praised the success of the PSL, suggesting the world view on cricket in the nation was shifting.
"The fact is that the perception outside of Pakistan was that it was quite a dangerous place to visit in the past," Richardson said.
"That perception slowly but surely has been changed through the good work that has been done here."