For a while now, there have been reports suggesting that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was deliberating on the possibility of appointing former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson as the coach for the Pakistan men’s cricket team.

Urgency in selection: PCB’s quest for a permanent head coach

The Pakistan cricket team has been operating without a head coach for a considerable duration, prompting the cricket board to expedite the selection process ahead of the imminent five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Emphasizing the need for a permanent appointment, the PCB wanted to depart from the temporary arrangement seen with the previous head coach, Mohammad Hafeez, who briefly joined the team during the tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Shane Watson emerges as a potential candidate for Pakistan’s coaching role

Watson, celebrated for his versatile skills on the cricket pitch, had entered into in-depth discussions concerning the prospect of taking on the position of Pakistan’s limited-overs coach. His notable performance as the coach of Quetta Gladiators during the recent Pakistan Super League (PSL) season had attracted significant attention, sparking speculation regarding his potential selection as Pakistan’s head coach.

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Watson’s ultimate judgement

However, Watson now has decisively opted out of the running for the position of Pakistan’s head coach, despite initially emerging as the preferred choice of the PCB.

As per an ESPNcricinfo report, Watson’s decision to reject the offer arises from his commitment to fulfil his existing coaching and commentary responsibilities. Presently, Watson is serving as the head coach for the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket and will actively engaged in commentary duties for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Moreover, Watson’s familial responsibilities and residence in Sydney were significant factors influencing his decision to prioritize his current engagements over the potential coaching position with Pakistan. The report indicated that the rapid developments regarding the PCB’s interest in Watson meant that accepting the offer would have required him to abruptly withdraw from his other commitments, which ultimately led to his withdrawal.

Watson’s impact as coach of Quetta Gladiators

Watson assumed the role of head coach for Quetta in the latter part of the previous year. Having previously secured a title with Gladiators as a player in? 2019, his transition to a coaching ??role marked a significant shift. Notably, he played a pivotal role in instigating changes within the team hierarchy during his inaugural season as coach.

One of the most prominent alterations was the replacement of long-standing captain Sarfaraz Ahmed with South Africa‘s Rilee Rossouw. Under Watson’s guidance, Gladiators exhibited a strong start to the season, culminating in their qualification for the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Nevertheless, despite their initial success, the team faced a downturn in performance towards the later stages of the tournament, ultimately resulting in their elimination.

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As Australia bids farewell to their star opener, David Warner, in the ongoing third Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the focus shifts to finding a suitable replacement for the upcoming red-ball series against West Indies. With Warner’s retirement leaving a void at the top of the order, the selectors are faced with the challenging task of identifying the right candidate to partner with Usman Khawaja.

Shane Watson reveals his choice

Former Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson, has added an unexpected twist to the selection conundrum. Watson, known for his scintillating skills, has suggested that Cameron Green could be the ideal replacement for Warner as a Test opener. This astonishing proposition?? has sparked discussions among cricket enthusiasts and experts.

Skill set and mentality

Watson expressed confidence in Green’s ability to succeed at the top of the order. The Queenslander emphasized that Green possesses the necessary skills, run-scoring ability, and the right mindset to thrive as an opening batter in Test cricket. Despite Green being primarily an all-rounder, Watson believed that managing his bowling workload is feasible, drawing parallels with his own experience as an all-rounder who opened the batting.

“There’s no question in my mind he can [open]. Australia needs to get Cameron Green into the team and the opportunity that you’ve got right now is for him to open. They’ll just have to manage his bowling, for sure, like with my bowling when I was opening the batting,” said Watson as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

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The call for opportunity

Watson urged the Australian think tank to consider giving the young and promising Green a golden opportunity in the upcoming Test series against West Indies. While acknowledging that it might take Green a game or two to settle into his role as an opener, Watson remains optimistic about the youngster’s potential impact at the top of the order.

“But he absolutely has got the skill, the run-scoring ability and the understanding to be able to make the most of being an opening batter for sure. It might take him a game or two just to be able to work out exactly what his game plan is. But he’s definitely got the game and the mentality to make the most of it,” added Watson.

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Quetta Gladiators, one of the prominent franchises in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has named former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson as their head coach for the upcoming PSL 2024 season. This announcement marks a significant change for the Gladiators, who have had Moin Khan as their coach for the past eight years.

Moin Khan steps down as head coach

Moin, the former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter, will transition into the role of team director after serving as the head coach for an impressive eight-year tenure. The move?? indicates a strategic decision by the team management to bring in fresh leadership for a potential resurgence in the upcoming season.

Quetta Gladiators’ glory days and recent struggles

Quetta Gladiators enjoyed remarkable success during the initial four editions of the PSL, reaching the final three times and clinching the championship in 2019. Watson, a vital contributor to the team since joining in 2018, played a pivotal role in Gladiators’ triumph. However, the team has faced challenges in recent years, failing to secure playoff berths in the last four seasons.

Shane Watson takes charge

In a statement released by the franchise, the decision to appoint Shane Watson was explained: “The Quetta Gladiators owner and the team management has decided to appoint Former Australian all-rounder and Gladiatorsâ€?best run-getter in the PSL, Shane Watson as head coach of the team.”

Watson’s illustrious career, which includes winning the World Cup in 2007 and 2015, and his instrumental role in Gladiators’ successful 2019 campaign, made him the natural choice for the coaching role.

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Watson’s post-retirement ventures

Watson retired from all forms of cricket in 2020 and ventured into coaching. He served as an assistant coach for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2022, working alongside former Australia teammate Ricky Ponting. Earlier this year, Watson was appointed as the head coach of the Major League Cricket franchise San Francisco Unicorns.

A glance at Watson’s cricket legacy

Watson’s cricket legacy is impressive, having played 190 ODIs for Australia, scoring 5757 runs at an average of 40.54, with a strike rate of 90.44. He also took 168 wickets at 31.79. In T20Is, he accumulated 1462 runs at a strike rate of 145.32 in 58 matches, coupled with 48 wickets at an economy rate of just 7.65.

The appointment of Watson brings a wealth of experience and a winning mindset to the Qu??etta Gladiators, as they aim for a successful campaign in PSL 202?4.

Also READ: Shane Watson shares his blunt take on David Warner-Mitchell Johnson co?ntroversy; Alys?sa Healy joins the conversation

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Australia’s cricketing landscape is currently ablaze with discussions and debates, not only about the team’s recent triumph in the ODI World Cup but also concerning the looming Test retirement of star opener David Warner.

David Warner’s retirement hint during Ashes 2023

As the Australian team braces for a three-match Test series against Pakistan, Warner’s potential exit from Test cricket has become the talk of the town. Amidst the speculation, it’s essential to note Warner’s announcement during the Ashes 2023 series, hinting at a retirement grand finale on his home ground in Sydney, adding more fuel to the already fiery discussions.

Mitchell Johnson’s scathing column slamming Warner

The anticipation surrounding Warner’s retirement has not been without controversy as former Australian cricke??????????????????????????ter Mitchell Johnson has publicly criticized the expected heroic send-off to Warner in his column for West Australian, bringing up his involve?ment in the infamous ball-tampering scandal. This controversy has added a layer of complexity to an already emotionally charged situation.

In the midst of this cricketing storm, another former Aussie all-rounder, Shane Watson, has shared his unfiltered thoughts on the matter, and his sentiments have found support from none other than women’s team wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy.

Shane Watson’s blunt take

Addressing the controversy, Watson recently spoke out on the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast, labelling Johnson’s column as “interesting.” The veteran all-rounder then delved into the unprecedented nature of Warner’s announcement, expressing how cricketers typically do not predict their retirement a year in advance, complete with a specified date and venue.

“Dave put a stake in the ground a long way out which hasn’t really been done before … that I can remember for the last 30 years of cricket where someone’s said a year out Sydney’s my place to finish,” said Watson.

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Watson’s special mention to Ricky Ponting

He further highlighted the uncertainty of a player’s career and how unexpected factors, such as a loss of form, can alter retirement plans, drawing a parallel to cricket legend Ricky Ponting and acknowledging that while every player desires a perfect send-off, circumstances sometimes dictate otherwise.

“Because you never know what’s going to happen, form alone, whether you’re dominating you get that opportunity. … You need to make sure you’re scoring runs. Ricky Ponting would’ve loved the perfect send-off that he wanted as well and most players do, [but] sometimes you get a tap on the shoulder and you get no choice,” highlighted the veteran all-rounder.

Alyssa Healy backs Watson’s views with Meg Lanning reference

Alyssa Healy, a prominent figure in the Australian women’s cricket team, echoed Watson’s sentiments. Healy pointed to the case of former Aussie Women’s team captain Meg Lanning, highlighting that she did not have the luxury of choosing when to conclude her illustrio??us career?.

Healy acknowledged the myriad factors influencing retirement decisions, empha?sizing that not all players have the privilege of deciding their exit strategy.

“You look at Meg Lanning recently, didn’t really get to choose when she wanted to finish up, there’s obviously other factors at play there but a lot of players don’t get that option. So if I am lucky enough to do it, I think you just wake up one day and go ‘I don’t want to do this anymore,’ and you go, ‘See you later,” emphasized Healy.

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In a heart-wrenching loss, millions of Indian cricket fans saw their team fall to Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023 final on Sunday. Australia clinched t??heir sixth title with a six-wicket v??????????????????????????ictory at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest.

A setback for Team India after ten consecutive wins

Australia’s path to the final included defeating South Africa, while India secured their spot by triumphing over New Zealand.

The massive crowd, draped in blue jerseys, at the 1,30,000-capacity stadium and countless viewers at home hoped for a repeat of India’s 2011 glory. However, Australia’s decision to bowl first paid off as their pacers bowled out India for 240 runs, the first instance of the Men in Blue losing all 10 wickets in the tournament. Despite a spirited bowling effort, led by Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, India couldn’t thwart Australia’s determined batting partnership, resulting in a heart-breaking defeat.

Shane Watson highlights the only mistake made by Rohit Sharma’s team in the CWC 2023 final

Speaking to Star Sports India, the official broadcasters of the CWC 2023, former World Cup winner for Australia, Shane Watson, opined that giving the new ball to Shami instead of Siraj was not the right decision made by India captain Rohit Sharma.

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Shami, who had been operating as a one-change bowler until the final, found himself alongside Bumrah in the summit clash as per the captain’s decision. Despite his usual proficiency, Shami struggled to contain the swing, conceding 47 runs in 7 overs with an economy rate of 6.70 as Australia successfully chased down the target of 241 runs with 42 balls to spare.

“I don’t understand why Mohammed Siraj, who has done well with the new ball, didn’t start the proceedings. This is the only area where they made a mistake. Shami was all over the place,” mentioned Wat?son after the grand?? finale in Ahmedabad.

Earlier, at the start of the second innings, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had said that by not giving the new ball to Siraj India took him out of the mat?ch.

“If you don’t use Siraj with the new ball, you take him out of the game. Ridiculous he didn’t bowl with the new ball today. Didn’t bowl 2023 new ball specialist,” stated Ponting while commentating d??uri?ng the CWC 2023 final.

Also READ: Pakistan lege?nd Shoaib Akhtar pinpoints the critical factor that went against India in ODI World Cup 2023 final

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