Powerful all-rounder Shane Watson retired from Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League Friday, but will continue playing select overseas tournaments.

The 37-year-old, who quit international cricket in 2016, stood down as Sydney Thunder's captain and all-time top run-scorer to spend more time with his family.

"I have so many amazing memories that I will savour forever with the one standout being our (tournament) win in 2016," he said.

"To my teammates, I have played with so many great people and cricketers at the club and I sincerely wish everyone the absolute best for the upcoming seasons."

Despite his age, Watson remains a force to be reckoned with.&nbsp;

He smacked a century from just 62 balls for the Thunder against the Brisbane Heat last season and hit 96 off 53 balls for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League this week.

Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts congratulated him on a "dynamic career".

"Shane Watson was one of the most exciting short-form players ever to grace a cricket field," he said.

"In a career which spanned almost two decades Shane made a major contribution to Australian cricket firstly at international level and then in domestic cricket as a significant contributor to the Big Bash.

"Talented, skillful and powerful, Shane was a devastating batsman at his best."

Watson played more than 700 international and domestic matches in total, scoring over 25,000 runs and claiming in excess of 600 wickets.

He is the only Sydney Thunder batsman to score more than a 1,000 runs and head coach Shane Bond called him "the ultimate professional".&nbsp;

"He cared about the team and the players and was hugely respected in the dressing room. We're really going to miss what he brings to the team and he will be a big loss." he said.

Powerful all-rounder Shane Watson retired from Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League Friday, but will continue playing select overseas tournaments. The 37-year-old, who quit international cricket in 2016, stood down as Sydney Thunder's captain and all-time top run-scorer to spend more time with his family.

Powerful all-rounder Shane Watson retired from Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League Friday, but will continue playing select overseas tournaments. The 37-year-old, who quit international cricket in 2016, stood down as Sydney Thunder's captain and all-time top run-scorer to spend more time with his family. "I have so many amazing memories that I will savour forever with the one standout being our (tournament) win in 2016," he said. "To my teammates, I have played with so many great people and cricketers at the club and I sincerely wish everyone the absolute best for the upcoming seasons." Despite his age, Watson remains a force to be reckoned with. He smacked a century from just 62 balls for the Thunder against the Brisbane Heat last season and hit 96 off 53 balls for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League this week. Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts congratulated him on a "dynamic career". "Shane Watson was one of the most exciting short-form players ever to grace a cricket field," he said. "In a career which spanned almost two decades Shane made a major contribution to Australian cricket firstly at international level and then in domestic cricket as a significant contributor to the Big Bash. "Talented, skillful and powerful, Shane was a devastating batsman at his best." Watson played more than 700 international and domestic matches in total, scoring over 25,000 runs and claiming in excess of 600 wickets. He is the only Sydney Thunder batsman to score more than a 1,000 runs and head coach Shane Bond called him "the ultimate professional". "He cared about the team and the players and was hugely respected in the dressing room. We're really going to miss what he brings to the team and he will be a big loss." he said.

All-rounder Shane Watson retires from Australian cricket

Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a playoff berth for Chennai as they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-41-chennai-super-kings-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-at-chidambaram-stadium-212979">beat Hyderabad by six wickets</a> on Tuesday.

On a vastly improved Chepauk track, Watson roared back to form with an 96 off 53 balls as Chennai stuttered a bit in end before winning in 19.5 overs.&nbsp;

Watson's innings studded with nine fours and half a dozen of sixes ensured that Chennai have reached the cut-off limit of 16 points needed for the play-off even though they would like to finish in the top two.

Watson's innings would also be a relief for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had urged the top order to finish matches.

A 77-run stand between Watson and Suresh Raina (38) created the platform and the former Australia all-rounder singlehandedly decimated the Hyderabad&nbsp;attack.&nbsp;

What made it more difficult for the Hyderabad was the fact that their strike bowler Rashid Khan was pulverised by Watson, who took him to the cleaners with 44 coming off his spell.

Sandeep Sharma was another bowler, who was handed severe punishment as he went for 54 in 3.5 overs. Sandeep repeatedly bowled short and Watson would gleefully pull him. Skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/18 in 4 overs) had no option but to bowl the 19th over and left Sandeep with nine runs to defend.

However, Kedar Jadhav literally finished the match with a six off the second ball that sealed the deal.

Earlier, the immensely talented Manish Pandey was back in his element as his unbeaten 83 off 49 balls powered Hyderabad to a fighting 175 for 3 after being put into bat.

Pandey and league's current leading run-scorer David Warner (57 off 45 balls) added 115 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for a decent score on what was the best batting track on offer at the Chepauk.&nbsp;

Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh struck an early blow, having the in-form Jony Bairstow caught behind in the second over for a duck.

He was the most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 39 in four overs while Deepak Chahar picked up the wicket of Vijay Shankar (26 off 20 balls).&nbsp;

Despite the early dismissal of Bairstow, the visiting team didn't get tied down as the irrepressible Warner and Manish Pandey kept hitting those boundaries and sixes. They brought up the team's 50 in the sixth over.

Pandey who has not been in the best form, hit his straps, scoring freely and was not afraid to go over the top. Dhoni's shuffling of the bowlers didn't make much of an impact as Warner and Pandey kept attacking.&nbsp;

Pandey was the first to reach 50 in 25 balls, pulling one from Dwayne Bravo for a boundary.

Warner was a touch slower in comparison to Pandey, but didn't miss out when the opportunity presented itself and hit a couple of big sixes.

The pugnacious Warner fell against the run of play, victim of Dhoni's trademark lightning-quick stumping off a Harbhajan delivery. The Australian, who is leading the run charts this season, fell for 57 (45 balls, 3x4, 2X6) after adding 115 runs for the second wicket with Pandey.

Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a playoff berth for Chennai as they beat Hyderabad by six wickets on Tuesday.

Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a playoff berth for Chennai as they beat Hyderabad by six wickets on Tuesday. On a vastly improved Chepauk track, Watson roared back to form with an 96 off 53 balls as Chennai stuttered a bit in end before winning in 19.5 overs. Watson's innings studded with nine fours and half a dozen of sixes ensured that Chennai have reached the cut-off limit of 16 points needed for the play-off even though they would like to finish in the top two. Watson's innings would also be a relief for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had urged the top order to finish matches. A 77-run stand between Watson and Suresh Raina (38) created the platform and the former Australia all-rounder singlehandedly decimated the Hyderabad attack. What made it more difficult for the Hyderabad was the fact that their strike bowler Rashid Khan was pulverised by Watson, who took him to the cleaners with 44 coming off his spell. Sandeep Sharma was another bowler, who was handed severe punishment as he went for 54 in 3.5 overs. Sandeep repeatedly bowled short and Watson would gleefully pull him. Skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/18 in 4 overs) had no option but to bowl the 19th over and left Sandeep with nine runs to defend. However, Kedar Jadhav literally finished the match with a six off the second ball that sealed the deal. Earlier, the immensely talented Manish Pandey was back in his element as his unbeaten 83 off 49 balls powered Hyderabad to a fighting 175 for 3 after being put into bat. Pandey and league's current leading run-scorer David Warner (57 off 45 balls) added 115 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for a decent score on what was the best batting track on offer at the Chepauk. Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh struck an early blow, having the in-form Jony Bairstow caught behind in the second over for a duck. He was the most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 39 in four overs while Deepak Chahar picked up the wicket of Vijay Shankar (26 off 20 balls). Despite the early dismissal of Bairstow, the visiting team didn't get tied down as the irrepressible Warner and Manish Pandey kept hitting those boundaries and sixes. They brought up the team's 50 in the sixth over. Pandey who has not been in the best form, hit his straps, scoring freely and was not afraid to go over the top. Dhoni's shuffling of the bowlers didn't make much of an impact as Warner and Pandey kept attacking. Pandey was the first to reach 50 in 25 balls, pulling one from Dwayne Bravo for a boundary. Warner was a touch slower in comparison to Pandey, but didn't miss out when the opportunity presented itself and hit a couple of big sixes. The pugnacious Warner fell against the run of play, victim of Dhoni's trademark lightning-quick stumping off a Harbhajan delivery. The Australian, who is leading the run charts this season, fell for 57 (45 balls, 3x4, 2X6) after adding 115 runs for the second wicket with Pandey.

IPL 2019: Shane Watson's 96 gets Chennai back on winning track

Chennai defeated Hyderabad by six wickets at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday. CSK all-rounder Shane Watson played a significant role in chasing Hyderabad’s total by amassing 95 of just 53 balls.

Shane Watson thanks Stephen Fleming & MS Dhoni for showing faith in him

It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-spinners-help-chennai-defend-160-against-punjab-reclaim-top-spot-208398">22-run win over Punjab</a> in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.&nbsp;

After the match, a video went viral in which Jr Tahir and Jr Watson were getting ready for a sprint challenge assisted by their fathers and from nowhere,&nbsp;the 37-year-old entered the frame and started running with the kids.&nbsp;

He later lifted Tahir's son and run back to the finishing line.&nbsp;

The video was posted by the franchise's official account with the caption, "Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless!"&nbsp;

Watch the video here:

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Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless! <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JustThalaThings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JustThalaThings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/bIGEgedZYW">pic.twitter.com/bIGEgedZYW</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1114542024256962560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> picks wickets and runs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> picks Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> and runs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/3LWXza38ie">pic.twitter.com/3LWXza38ie</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1114561373336301569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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It is well-known that India's two-time World Cup-winning skipper is comfortable around kids and his videos with daughter Ziva Dhoni often go viral.&nbsp;

Recently he was&nbsp;talking with daughter Ziva in six different languages, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ms-dhoni-interacting-with-ziva-in-six-different-languages-is-cutest-thing-on-internet-today-205407">watch</a>.&nbsp;

In the match, defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67).&nbsp;

The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.&nbsp;

It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.

It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday. After the match, a video went viral in which Jr Tahir and Jr Watson were getting ready for a sprint challenge assisted by their fathers and from nowhere, the 37-year-old entered the frame and started running with the kids. He later lifted Tahir's son and run back to the finishing line. The video was posted by the franchise's official account with the caption, "Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless!" Watch the video here: Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless! @msdhoni #JustThalaThings #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/bIGEgedZYW — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 6, 2019 × #ParasakthiExpress picks wickets and runs! #Thala picks Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and runs! #OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/3LWXza38ie — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 6, 2019 × It is well-known that India's two-time World Cup-winning skipper is comfortable around kids and his videos with daughter Ziva Dhoni often go viral. Recently he was talking with daughter Ziva in six different languages, watch. In the match, defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67). The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.

Watch: Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's sprint competition with Shane Watson and Imran Tahir's sons

MS Dhoni-led Chennai won the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League for the third time after defeating Hyderabad by 8 wickets at Wankhede stadium.

The victory became emotional as Chennai won the title after serving a two-year ban. The team produced a stunning performance throughout the season to lift the trophy.

With skipper Dhoni leading from the front, the entire Chennai team contributed on various occasions to inspire the team towards victory.

MS Dhoni thanked fans and followers for their love and support. He shared a picture with wife Sakshi Dhoni and daughter Ziva with the caption, "Thanks everyone for the support and Mumbai for turning yellow."

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjSyjBfnmma/" style=" color:#000 font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px text-decoration:none word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">Thanks everyone for the support and Mumbai for turning yellow.Shane ‘shocking’ Watson played a shocking innings to get us through.end of a good season.Ziva doesn’t care about the trophy, wants to run on the lawn according to her wordings.</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px margin-bottom:0 margin-top:8px overflow:hidden padding:8px 0 7px text-align:center text-overflow:ellipsis white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mahi7781/" style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px" target="_blank"> M S Dhoni</a> (@mahi7781) on <time datetime="2018-05-27T20:03:03+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px">May 27, 2018 at 1:03pm PDT</time>
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He also hailed Shane Watson's 117-run knock and said, "Shane 'shocking' Watson played a shocking innings to get us through. End of a good season."

Dhoni also mentioned the secret plan of Ziva as she was not interested in being clicked and wanted to run on the lawn instead.

"Ziva doesn’t care about the trophy, wants to run on the lawn according to her wordings, said Dhoni."

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Everywhere we go! We are the Chennai Boys and we are the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperChampions?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperChampions</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://t.co/iVqQnMeXAi">pic.twitter.com/iVqQnMeXAi</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1000803071058788353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

MS Dhoni hailed Shane Watson's 117-run knock and said, 'Shane 'shocking' Watson played a shocking innings to get us through'

MS Dhoni-led Chennai won the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League for the third time after defeating Hyderabad by 8 wickets at Wankhede stadium. The victory became emotional as Chennai won the title after serving a two-year ban. The team produced a stunning performance throughout the season to lift the trophy. With skipper Dhoni leading from the front, the entire Chennai team contributed on various occasions to inspire the team towards victory. MS Dhoni thanked fans and followers for their love and support. He shared a picture with wife Sakshi Dhoni and daughter Ziva with the caption, "Thanks everyone for the support and Mumbai for turning yellow." Thanks everyone for the support and Mumbai for turning yellow.Shane ‘shocking’ Watson played a shocking innings to get us through.end of a good season.Ziva doesn’t care about the trophy, wants to run on the lawn according to her wordings. A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) on May 27, 2018 at 1:03pm PDT × He also hailed Shane Watson's 117-run knock and said, "Shane 'shocking' Watson played a shocking innings to get us through. End of a good season." Dhoni also mentioned the secret plan of Ziva as she was not interested in being clicked and wanted to run on the lawn instead. "Ziva doesn’t care about the trophy, wants to run on the lawn according to her wordings, said Dhoni." Everywhere we go! We are the Chennai Boys and we are the #SuperChampions! #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/iVqQnMeXAi — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 27, 2018 ×

IPL: Chennai captain Dhoni acknowledges fan support, wife Sakshi & Ziva celebrate

Shane Watson played a ruthless knock to steer Chennai to their third IPL title as they defeated Hyderabad by eight wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Watson blazed unbeaten 117 off 57 deliveries, making it the highest score ever made in an IPL final, to guide MS Dhoni's side to victory with nine balls to spare.

The Australian shared a second-wicket stand of 117 with Suresh Raina as Chennai comfortably chased down challenging 179.&nbsp

Stunned with Watson's heroics, Twitteratti were in awe of the veteran, hailing him for being Chennai's hero tonight.

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Things that get better with age : 
 
3. Whiskey 
2. Pickles 
1. Shane Watson<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a>
— SAGAR (@sagarcasm) <a href="https://twitter.com/sagarcasm/status/1000779397085872128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Shane Watson....... Doesn’t matter how Old you are......... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018Final?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018Final</a>
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1000785534824968192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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IPL 2008 gave Shane Watson's international career a second wind. 
 
IPL 2018 has probably given his retirement a second wind. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018Final?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018Final</a>
— Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) <a href="https://twitter.com/saurabh_42/status/1000783037712367617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Shane Watson - the only man to twice be IPL man of the tournament, and now a centurion in an IPL final - is one of the greatest T20 cricketers of all time
— Tim (@timwig) <a href="https://twitter.com/timwig/status/1000784471753359360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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?4th IPL Century For Shane Watson 
?2nd Century This Season 
?4th Player To Score 2 Centuries In An IPL Season 
 
One And Only <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShaneWatson?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShaneWatson</a>. ??? 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018Final?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018Final</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRHvsCSK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRHvsCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvsSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvsSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://t.co/LvnC77nWdV">pic.twitter.com/LvnC77nWdV</a>
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadejaaaa) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirJadejaaaa/status/1000785544891195392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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With this century, Watson became the second batsman in IPL history to score a century in a final.

The Australian also shared a second-wicket stand of 117 with Suresh Raina

Shane Watson played a ruthless knock to steer Chennai to their third IPL title as they defeated Hyderabad by eight wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Watson blazed unbeaten 117 off 57 deliveries, making it the highest score ever made in an IPL final, to guide MS Dhoni's side to victory with nine balls to spare. The Australian shared a second-wicket stand of 117 with Suresh Raina as Chennai comfortably chased down challenging 179. Stunned with Watson's heroics, Twitteratti were in awe of the veteran, hailing him for being Chennai's hero tonight. Things that get better with age : 3. Whiskey 2. Pickles 1. Shane Watson#CSKvSRH — SAGAR (@sagarcasm) May 27, 2018 × Shane Watson....... Doesn’t matter how Old you are......... #IPL2018Final — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 27, 2018 × IPL 2008 gave Shane Watson's international career a second wind. IPL 2018 has probably given his retirement a second wind. #IPL2018Final — Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) May 27, 2018 × Shane Watson - the only man to twice be IPL man of the tournament, and now a centurion in an IPL final - is one of the greatest T20 cricketers of all time — Tim (@timwig) May 27, 2018 × ?4th IPL Century For Shane Watson ?2nd Century This Season ?4th Player To Score 2 Centuries In An IPL Season One And Only #ShaneWatson. ??? #IPL2018Final #SRHvsCSK #CSKvsSRH #CSKvSRH #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/LvnC77nWdV — Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadejaaaa) May 27, 2018 × With this century, Watson became the second batsman in IPL history to score a century in a final.

Shane Watson's ton helps Chennai lift 3rd IPL title, Twitter goes wild

Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to reach the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League. Chennai won the first Qualifier by two wickets in a neck-to-neck encounter against Hyderabad. There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad.&nbsp;

Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl at the Wankhede stadium.

Batting first, Hyderabad had a shaky start as Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target of 140 runs for MS Dhoni-led Chennai.

Still, the score is a bit less than what it was expected in such a crucial match and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive.

That is what exactly happened but while chasing the target of 140 runs, Chennai's batting line was thrashed in front of the Hyderabad's bowling unit but in the 17th and 18th overs, Hyderabad leaked too many runs.

Apart from Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina and Shardul Thakur none of the batsmen score more than 10 runs.

Chennai's scoreboard

Shane Watson 0, Faf du Plessis 67*, Suresh Raina 22, Ambati Rayudu 0, MS Dhoni 9, Dwayne Bravo 7, Ravindra Jadeja 3, Deepak Chahar 10, Harbhajan Singh 2, Shardul Thakur 15

For Hyderabad, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul and Rashid Khan took 2 wickets each that gave a ray of finale hope but efforts went in vain.

Apart from them, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the most economical bowler for the Hyderabad. He gave 14 runs in his 3.1-over spell with 4.42 ecomnomy. Although, he failed to defend the six runs in &nbsp;the last over as Faf hit a splendid six on the first ball of last over to win the match.

Earlier, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan.

Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja.

Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs.

Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen.

Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time. 
&nbsp;

Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to reach the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League

Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to reach the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League. Chennai won the first Qualifier by two wickets in a neck-to-neck encounter against Hyderabad. There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad. Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl at the Wankhede stadium. Batting first, Hyderabad had a shaky start as Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target of 140 runs for MS Dhoni-led Chennai. Still, the score is a bit less than what it was expected in such a crucial match and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive. That is what exactly happened but while chasing the target of 140 runs, Chennai's batting line was thrashed in front of the Hyderabad's bowling unit but in the 17th and 18th overs, Hyderabad leaked too many runs. Apart from Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina and Shardul Thakur none of the batsmen score more than 10 runs. Chennai's scoreboard Shane Watson 0, Faf du Plessis 67*, Suresh Raina 22, Ambati Rayudu 0, MS Dhoni 9, Dwayne Bravo 7, Ravindra Jadeja 3, Deepak Chahar 10, Harbhajan Singh 2, Shardul Thakur 15 For Hyderabad, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul and Rashid Khan took 2 wickets each that gave a ray of finale hope but efforts went in vain. Apart from them, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the most economical bowler for the Hyderabad. He gave 14 runs in his 3.1-over spell with 4.42 ecomnomy. Although, he failed to defend the six runs in the last over as Faf hit a splendid six on the first ball of last over to win the match. Earlier, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan. Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja. Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs. Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen. Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time.

Faf du Plessis shines as Chennai beat Hyderabad to reach IPL final

MS Dhoni-led Chennai has reached the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League as batsman Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to defeat Hyderabad by two wickets in the first Qualifier match on Tuesday at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad.&nbsp;

For his splendid batting at a crucial time, Faf was given "Player of the Match" award.

"It's nice to make a contribution tonight. I reflected on the games I've played here in Mumbai. It's a stadium I've enjoyed playing," said South African batsman Faf du Plessis.

He also added that he shocked that how the team "win that game."

He praised the bowling attack of Hyderabad's team with a special mention to spinner Rashid Khan.

Although, du Plessis' 67-run knock was the sole reason for Chennai's victory but Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl.

Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to defeat Hyderabad by two wickets in the first Qualifier match

MS Dhoni-led Chennai has reached the finals of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League as batsman Faf du Plessis' unbeaten 67-run knock helped Chennai team to defeat Hyderabad by two wickets in the first Qualifier match on Tuesday at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. There was a moment when Chennai was 62-6 but South African star batsman Faf du Plessis played a responsible innings and snatched the match from the hands of Hyderabad. For his splendid batting at a crucial time, Faf was given "Player of the Match" award. "It's nice to make a contribution tonight. I reflected on the games I've played here in Mumbai. It's a stadium I've enjoyed playing," said South African batsman Faf du Plessis. He also added that he shocked that how the team "win that game." He praised the bowling attack of Hyderabad's team with a special mention to spinner Rashid Khan. Although, du Plessis' 67-run knock was the sole reason for Chennai's victory but Shardul Thakur's 15-run knock off 5 balls did the icing on the cake and confirmed the victory. Earlier in the match, MS Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bowl.

Don't know how we 'win that game', says Faf du Plessis after Chennai reach IPL final

Hyderabad set a 140-run target for Chennai team in the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018.&nbsp;

The score is a bit less than what it was expected in such crucial matches and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive.

Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target for MS Dhoni-led Chennai.

On the other hand, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan.

Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja.

Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs.

Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen.

Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time.

Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target for MS Dhoni-led Chennai

Hyderabad set a 140-run target for Chennai team in the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018. The score is a bit less than what it was expected in such crucial matches and that too for a team whose batting unit is massive. Hyderabad team suffered an early jolt in the form of Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on the first ball of the innings but thanks to Windies player Carlos Brathwaite, who played a 43-run knock to help Hyderabad team to set a decent target for MS Dhoni-led Chennai. On the other hand, Deepak Chahar who dismissed Dhawan played an important role in restricting the Hyderabad team. He gave 31 runs in his 4-over spell and took the most impost wicket also of Shikhar Dhawan. Shreevats Goswami and Manish Pandey scored 12 and 8 runs respectively before losing their wickets to Lungi Ngidi and Ravindra Jadeja. Skipper Kane Williamson tried to push the run rate but lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur after scoring 24 runs. Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 12 and 24 runs for the team but Dwayne Bravo out bowled both of batsmen. Carlos Brathwaite salvaged the team as he scored 43 runs off just 29 balls in a very crucial time.

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni-led Chennai restricts Hyderabad to 139 runs in 1st Qualifier

Australian batsman David Warner has wished the Hyderabad team ahead of the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018 which is against Chennai.

In the previous seasons, David Warner has played the skipper's role of Hyderabad but due to his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, he was subsequently banned from the IPL by the BCCI.

Even though he is not the part of Hyderabad team still, he has always given his support throughout the season.

Just before the first Qualifier, Warner has tweeted, "Good luck to @SunRisers tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane."

In the absence of David Warner, Kane Williamson&nbsp;is leading the squad and has proved his calibre&nbsp;and leadership skills.

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Good luck to <a href="https://twitter.com/SunRisers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SunRisers</a> tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane ??
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Warner was replaced by an explosive opener Alex Hales of England.&nbsp;

Just before the first Qualifier, Warner has praised Kane Williamson's leadership qualities

Australian batsman David Warner has wished the Hyderabad team ahead of the first Qualifier of Indian Premier League 2018 which is against Chennai. In the previous seasons, David Warner has played the skipper's role of Hyderabad but due to his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, he was subsequently banned from the IPL by the BCCI. Even though he is not the part of Hyderabad team still, he has always given his support throughout the season. Just before the first Qualifier, Warner has tweeted, "Good luck to @SunRisers tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane." In the absence of David Warner, Kane Williamson is leading the squad and has proved his calibre and leadership skills. Good luck to @SunRisers tonight, keep playing well gentlemen. Been simply outstanding and being well lead by The great man himself Kane ?? — David Warner (@davidwarner31) May 22, 2018 × Warner was replaced by an explosive opener Alex Hales of England.

IPL 2018: David Warner wishes Hyderabad team 'good luck' ahead of first Qualifier

Chennai won the toss and opted to bowl&nbspin the first Qualifier of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League 2018 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday.

After winning the toss, MS Dhoni said, "We have chased well in the tournament." He also mentioned that chasing is a bit easier in the second innings.

There is only one change in the Chennai's squad, Shane Watson has been included at the place of Sam Billings.

On the other hand, Kane Williamson said that the Hyderabad team is trying their best to adapt the conditions of Wankhede Stadium.

A few hours back, it was found that there were some wear and tear in the good length area of the pitch, which means spinners will have an upper hand in the match, especially in the second innings.

Pressure is definitely on both the sides as the winner will book a finale berth.

Hyderabad has entered the field with the same squad.

Playing XI:

Chennai: Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi

Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

There is only one change in the Chennai's squad, Shane Watson has been included at the place of Sam Billings

Chennai won the toss and opted to bowl&nbspin the first Qualifier of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League 2018 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday. After winning the toss, MS Dhoni said, "We have chased well in the tournament." He also mentioned that chasing is a bit easier in the second innings. There is only one change in the Chennai's squad, Shane Watson has been included at the place of Sam Billings. On the other hand, Kane Williamson said that the Hyderabad team is trying their best to adapt the conditions of Wankhede Stadium. A few hours back, it was found that there were some wear and tear in the good length area of the pitch, which means spinners will have an upper hand in the match, especially in the second innings. Pressure is definitely on both the sides as the winner will book a finale berth. Hyderabad has entered the field with the same squad. Playing XI: Chennai: Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni opts to field in Qualifier 1 against Hyderabad

The first Qualifiers of&nbsp;IPL 2018 will be played on Tuesday between the two best teams, Chennai and Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

In previous meetings of the ongoing edition, MS Dhoni-led Chennai defeated the Kane Williamson's side.

Both the teams have scored 18 points, but Hyderabad stand&nbsp;atop&nbsp;league's table with a better Net Run Rate (NRR) than Chennai.

So, let us take a look at the players expected to perform in today's big clash.

1. Kane Williamson -&nbsp;The backbone of Hyderabad team and one of the most successful skippers in the ongoing league,&nbsp;Williamson&nbsp;has&nbsp;proved his calibre&nbsp;in the leadership skills. With his team being the table-toppers, he definitely fulfilled his duties as a captain. In 14 matches, he&nbsp;scored total 661 runs&nbsp;including eight half-centuries. Today, it is expected that he will cross Rishabh Pant in the race of 'Orange Cap' and also will outplay Chennai to book a finale berth.&nbsp;

2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar -&nbsp;Although, Hyderabad have the best bowling unit in the IPL 2018 and Bhuvi is one of the best options for 'Orange Army' to damage Chennai's batting line-up. In such crucial&nbsp;matches, experience&nbsp;matters a lot and&nbsp;Bhuvneshwar has such potential. So far in nine matches, he has taken eight wickets with an economy of 8.14. He is definitely a player to watch out for in tonight's clash.

3. Lungi Ngidi - South African star pacer has impressed everyone with his economical bowling. His brilliant haul of 4 wickets&nbsp;including prized wickets of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle against&nbsp;Punjab was a reason&nbsp;Punjab's ouster from the tournament. Overall, he has played five matches and took nine wickets. He is definitely a player to watch out for in today's game.

4. Ambati Rayudu -&nbsp;He is an outstanding batsman and has been&nbsp;a consistent run scorer for Chennai in IPL 2018. His presence&nbsp;in today's&nbsp;crucial match will&nbsp;be an&nbsp;advantage for Chennai. He scored 586 runs in 14 games so far. His experience and ability to deplete any bowling attack makes him a player to watch out for in today's game.&nbsp;

5. Shane Watson - Chennai's opener&nbsp;Watson has scored 438 runs in his 13 games so far. He has smashed a century this season and has the potential to give a required start to the team. Watson has also made an important contribution with the bowl by taking important wickets in different occasions. Although he scored just 14 runs off 23 balls in the&nbsp;match against Delhi, still it is expected that he will&nbsp;survive the&nbsp;massive bowling attack&nbsp;of&nbsp;Hyderabad.

As the winner of today's match will directly enter finals, the match promises to be quite a contest.&nbsp;

The MS Dhoni-led team has beaten the Kane Williamson side on both occasions that they have previously met this year in the ongoing league

The first Qualifiers of IPL 2018 will be played on Tuesday between the two best teams, Chennai and Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. In previous meetings of the ongoing edition, MS Dhoni-led Chennai defeated the Kane Williamson's side. Both the teams have scored 18 points, but Hyderabad stand atop league's table with a better Net Run Rate (NRR) than Chennai. So, let us take a look at the players expected to perform in today's big clash. 1. Kane Williamson - The backbone of Hyderabad team and one of the most successful skippers in the ongoing league, Williamson has proved his calibre in the leadership skills. With his team being the table-toppers, he definitely fulfilled his duties as a captain. In 14 matches, he scored total 661 runs including eight half-centuries. Today, it is expected that he will cross Rishabh Pant in the race of 'Orange Cap' and also will outplay Chennai to book a finale berth. 2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar - Although, Hyderabad have the best bowling unit in the IPL 2018 and Bhuvi is one of the best options for 'Orange Army' to damage Chennai's batting line-up. In such crucial matches, experience matters a lot and Bhuvneshwar has such potential. So far in nine matches, he has taken eight wickets with an economy of 8.14. He is definitely a player to watch out for in tonight's clash. 3. Lungi Ngidi - South African star pacer has impressed everyone with his economical bowling. His brilliant haul of 4 wickets including prized wickets of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle against Punjab was a reason Punjab's ouster from the tournament. Overall, he has played five matches and took nine wickets. He is definitely a player to watch out for in today's game. 4. Ambati Rayudu - He is an outstanding batsman and has been a consistent run scorer for Chennai in IPL 2018. His presence in today's crucial match will be an advantage for Chennai. He scored 586 runs in 14 games so far. His experience and ability to deplete any bowling attack makes him a player to watch out for in today's game. 5. Shane Watson - Chennai's opener Watson has scored 438 runs in his 13 games so far. He has smashed a century this season and has the potential to give a required start to the team. Watson has also made an important contribution with the bowl by taking important wickets in different occasions. Although he scored just 14 runs off 23 balls in the match against Delhi, still it is expected that he will survive the massive bowling attack of Hyderabad. As the winner of today's match will directly enter finals, the match promises to be quite a contest.

IPL 2018: Players to watch out for in Chennai vs Hyderabad clash

Former test players Shane Watson and George Bailey will join Australia captains Tim Paine and Rachael Haynes on a panel tasked with drafting a charter of behaviour in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, Cricket Australia said on Tuesday.

The player review, to be overseen by former test opener Rick McCosker, would also include fast bowler Pat Cummins and Darren Lehmann's replacement as coach of the men's team, CA said.

The team's culture has been under the microscope since batsman Cameron Bancroft was spotted by cameras trying to scuff up the ball with a piece of sandpaper during the third test against South Africa in Cape Town.

The scandal saw then-captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner banned for a year, with Bancroft suspended for nine months.

Lehmann, who was appointed in 2013, was cleared of wrongdoing by CA but resigned as coach in March more than 12 months before his contract was up.

CA have also appointed Dr Simon Longstaff, executive director of the Sydney-based Ethics Centre, to lead a separate independent review into the governing body.

The Ethics Centre led a review into the culture at the Australian Olympic Committee last year after multiple allegations of bullying rocked the organisation.

“We understand and share the disappointment of fans and the broader Australian community about these events (in South Africa)," CA chairman David Peever said in a statement.

"The board is determined to do all we can to prevent such events from ever happening again.

"The reviews will commence immediately, and we fully anticipate being able to begin implementing findings before the start of the 2018-19 cricket season."

The Australian Cricketers' Association, which fought a bitter campaign with CA over a new pay deal for players last year, said it welcomed an investigation into CA's culture and governance.

But the players' union complained it was not invited to co-chair the independent review. It also said it had a number of concerns over the transparency of the review process and whether players would be held to higher standards than those set out by the International Cricket Council.

"We are concerned that our players may be subject to conditions which could be different from those that apply to players from other countries against which they play," ACA president Greg Dyer said in a statement.

"Changes to player behaviour, expectations or sanctions must be aligned with those which would be handed down to players on both sides of international cricket matches."

Australia's players have long prided themselves on playing aggressive cricket and often spoken of "pushing the line" of acceptable behaviour.

Former players and pundits, however, have criticised the team for relentless sledging of opponents and other boorish conduct on the field.

CA CEO James Sutherland, who has led the governing body since 2001, has faced calls to step down from his role for failing to improve the team's standards of behaviour as the Australian public has grown increasingly uncomfortable with their conduct on the field.

"I haven't thought about (resigning as CEO) and I really see the responsibility I have to push through this and deal with the situation," he told local radio station SEN on Tuesday.

"This is an opportunity for the game to get better and it will be better through this."

Sutherland also said that Warner, Smith and Bancroft could "absolutely" win their places back on the Australian team once they had done their time.

"I think everyone deserves their chance and their own personal redemption story is very much in their own hands now," he added.

The player review, to be overseen by former test opener Rick McCosker, would also include fast bowler Pat Cummins and Darren Lehmann's replacement as coach of the men's team, CA said

Former test players Shane Watson and George Bailey will join Australia captains Tim Paine and Rachael Haynes on a panel tasked with drafting a charter of behaviour in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, Cricket Australia said on Tuesday. The player review, to be overseen by former test opener Rick McCosker, would also include fast bowler Pat Cummins and Darren Lehmann's replacement as coach of the men's team, CA said. The team's culture has been under the microscope since batsman Cameron Bancroft was spotted by cameras trying to scuff up the ball with a piece of sandpaper during the third test against South Africa in Cape Town. The scandal saw then-captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner banned for a year, with Bancroft suspended for nine months. Lehmann, who was appointed in 2013, was cleared of wrongdoing by CA but resigned as coach in March more than 12 months before his contract was up. CA have also appointed Dr Simon Longstaff, executive director of the Sydney-based Ethics Centre, to lead a separate independent review into the governing body. The Ethics Centre led a review into the culture at the Australian Olympic Committee last year after multiple allegations of bullying rocked the organisation. “We understand and share the disappointment of fans and the broader Australian community about these events (in South Africa)," CA chairman David Peever said in a statement. "The board is determined to do all we can to prevent such events from ever happening again. "The reviews will commence immediately, and we fully anticipate being able to begin implementing findings before the start of the 2018-19 cricket season." The Australian Cricketers' Association, which fought a bitter campaign with CA over a new pay deal for players last year, said it welcomed an investigation into CA's culture and governance. But the players' union complained it was not invited to co-chair the independent review. It also said it had a number of concerns over the transparency of the review process and whether players would be held to higher standards than those set out by the International Cricket Council. "We are concerned that our players may be subject to conditions which could be different from those that apply to players from other countries against which they play," ACA president Greg Dyer said in a statement. "Changes to player behaviour, expectations or sanctions must be aligned with those which would be handed down to players on both sides of international cricket matches." Australia's players have long prided themselves on playing aggressive cricket and often spoken of "pushing the line" of acceptable behaviour. Former players and pundits, however, have criticised the team for relentless sledging of opponents and other boorish conduct on the field. CA CEO James Sutherland, who has led the governing body since 2001, has faced calls to step down from his role for failing to improve the team's standards of behaviour as the Australian public has grown increasingly uncomfortable with their conduct on the field. "I haven't thought about (resigning as CEO) and I really see the responsibility I have to push through this and deal with the situation," he told local radio station SEN on Tuesday. "This is an opportunity for the game to get better and it will be better through this." Sutherland also said that Warner, Smith and Bancroft could "absolutely" win their places back on the Australian team once they had done their time. "I think everyone deserves their chance and their own personal redemption story is very much in their own hands now," he added.

Watson and Bailey to join captains in Australia review

This will be the first time in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 when Indian skipper Virat Kohli will come face to face with former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for their respective franchises.&nbsp;

The presence of these two players automatically makes the match more intriguing and unpredictable.

So let us take a look at the players who are expected to perform above par in today's game.&nbsp;

1. AB de Villiers - The Bangalore player single- handily took the match away from Delhi's jaws. He scored an unbeaten 90 runs off 39 balls which included 10 fours and five sixes.&nbsp; So, today when Bangalore plays against Chennai for the first time he will be hoping to continue the same form.&nbsp;

2. Shane Watson - Undoubtedly, the finest all-rounders among all has proven his worth in every match of this IPL season. As an opener, he has performed well with the bat, though he couldn't do many wonders when it comes to bowling.&nbsp; Let's see if he can again reclaim Man of the Match title today.&nbsp;

3. Virat Kohli - The Bangalore skipper could not manage to put his team on top of the IPL league table. His individual performance is comparatively better than his other teammates. Although Bangalore managed to win the last match which was against Delhi, it will be interesting to see Kohli playing a skipper's knock and lead from the front.&nbsp;

4. Deepak Chahar - Surprisingly, his performance was stupendous in the last match against Hyderabad. He gave just 15 runs in 4 overs in which one over was maiden and also took three wickets. The last match's performance surely makes him the player to watch out for in today's game.&nbsp;

5. Ambati Rayudu - Áwarded 'Man of the Match' in the previous game against Hyderabad, Rayudu scored 79 runs off 39 balls which included nine fours and four sixes. He was in his best form in the last game. His batting capabilities and the patience he shows on the ground makes him a dangerous player. It will be a delight to watch him again smash big sixes for Chennai.&nbsp;

So overall, MS Dhoni-led side undeniably has an upper hand over Bangalore in today's game. Seeing the previous run rates of both the teams Chennai has maintained their game quite well, whereas Bangalore needs to pump up their game or they'll be out of the series soon.

This will be the first time in IPL 2018 when Indian skipper Virat Kohli will come face to face with former captain MS Dhoni for their respective franchises.

This will be the first time in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 when Indian skipper Virat Kohli will come face to face with former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for their respective franchises. The presence of these two players automatically makes the match more intriguing and unpredictable. So let us take a look at the players who are expected to perform above par in today's game. 1. AB de Villiers - The Bangalore player single- handily took the match away from Delhi's jaws. He scored an unbeaten 90 runs off 39 balls which included 10 fours and five sixes. So, today when Bangalore plays against Chennai for the first time he will be hoping to continue the same form. 2. Shane Watson - Undoubtedly, the finest all-rounders among all has proven his worth in every match of this IPL season. As an opener, he has performed well with the bat, though he couldn't do many wonders when it comes to bowling. Let's see if he can again reclaim Man of the Match title today. 3. Virat Kohli - The Bangalore skipper could not manage to put his team on top of the IPL league table. His individual performance is comparatively better than his other teammates. Although Bangalore managed to win the last match which was against Delhi, it will be interesting to see Kohli playing a skipper's knock and lead from the front. 4. Deepak Chahar - Surprisingly, his performance was stupendous in the last match against Hyderabad. He gave just 15 runs in 4 overs in which one over was maiden and also took three wickets. The last match's performance surely makes him the player to watch out for in today's game. 5. Ambati Rayudu - Áwarded 'Man of the Match' in the previous game against Hyderabad, Rayudu scored 79 runs off 39 balls which included nine fours and four sixes. He was in his best form in the last game. His batting capabilities and the patience he shows on the ground makes him a dangerous player. It will be a delight to watch him again smash big sixes for Chennai. So overall, MS Dhoni-led side undeniably has an upper hand over Bangalore in today's game. Seeing the previous run rates of both the teams Chennai has maintained their game quite well, whereas Bangalore needs to pump up their game or they'll be out of the series soon.

IPL 2018: Players to watch out for in Chennai vs Bangalore clash

After finally managing to win their first match, the defending champions Mumbai will look to continue their momentum when they lock horns against beleaguered hosts Rajasthan on Saturday.&nbsp

The hosts were destroyed by Chennai opener Shane Watson’s brilliant century in the previous game.&nbsp

However, skipper Ajinkya Rahane needs to lead from the front and put confidence in his players.&nbsp

Despite having some big names, Rajasthan need some momentum to get back on track.&nbsp

Big players like Jos Buttler, D’Arcy Short have failed to deliver.&nbsp

But Ben Stokes, who was at the receiving end due to his poor form, played well against Delhi.&nbsp

Meanwhile, Mumbai faced three consecutive defeats, before managing to win their first match of the season. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Evin Lewis made 94 and 65 runs respectively.&nbsp

Rohit was the reason behind the team breaking the run of losses and he is again going to be a key man for Mumbai.&nbsp

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Led by pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai bowling attack looks good with likes of Mitchell McClenaghan, Hardik, Mustafizur Rahman, Mayank Markande and Krunal.&nbsp

While Mumbai will be looking to continue their winning momentum, Rajasthan will also look to make a comeback.&nbsp 
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The hosts were destroyed by Chennai opener Shane Watson’s brilliant century in the previous game.

After finally managing to win their first match, the defending champions Mumbai will look to continue their momentum when they lock horns against beleaguered hosts Rajasthan on Saturday. The hosts were destroyed by Chennai opener Shane Watson’s brilliant century in the previous game. However, skipper Ajinkya Rahane needs to lead from the front and put confidence in his players. Despite having some big names, Rajasthan need some momentum to get back on track. Big players like Jos Buttler, D’Arcy Short have failed to deliver. But Ben Stokes, who was at the receiving end due to his poor form, played well against Delhi. Meanwhile, Mumbai faced three consecutive defeats, before managing to win their first match of the season. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Evin Lewis made 94 and 65 runs respectively. Rohit was the reason behind the team breaking the run of losses and he is again going to be a key man for Mumbai. × Led by pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai bowling attack looks good with likes of Mitchell McClenaghan, Hardik, Mustafizur Rahman, Mayank Markande and Krunal. While Mumbai will be looking to continue their winning momentum, Rajasthan will also look to make a comeback.

IPL 2018: Match Preview of Mumbai vs Rajasthan

Shane Watson's 106-run knock helped Chennai to put up a giant target of 205 runs against Rajasthan. Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bowl at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Friday.

Playing first, Chennai started off the innings very well, opener Shane Watson played at a strike rate of 185.96 and scored 106 off 57 balls.&nbsp;

Though, Ambati Rayudu lost his wickets in the fifth over after scoring just twelve runs.

Watson continued his power hitting and found a determined ally in Suresh Raina and together they scored 81 runs for the "yellow brigade."

MS Dhoni and Sam Billings lost their wicket after scoring 5 and 3 runs respectively.

Dwayne Bravo gave a decent contribution in the death overs. Ravindra Jadeja scored two runs on the last ball of the innings.

Rajasthan team was able to hold the innings in the death overs. The run rate became a bit slower after 13th over,&nbsp;at one stage, Chennai were 150 after losing 2 wickets, on the other hand, they scored just 54 runs in the last 7 overs.

Fall of wickets:

50-1 (Ambati Rayudu, 4.3), 131-2 (Suresh Raina, 11.5), 151-3 (MS Dhoni, 13.2), 161-4 (Sam Billings, 15.1), 202-5 (Shane Watson, 19.5)

In bowling, Shreyas Gopal emerged as a star as he took 3 crucial wickets by giving 20 runs in his 4-over spell but other bowlers like Stuart Binny, Ben Stokes, Krishnappa Gowtham proved very expensive against Chennai.

Shane Watson's 106-run knock helped Chennai to put up a giant target of 205 runs against Rajasthan

Shane Watson's 106-run knock helped Chennai to put up a giant target of 205 runs against Rajasthan. Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bowl at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Friday. Playing first, Chennai started off the innings very well, opener Shane Watson played at a strike rate of 185.96 and scored 106 off 57 balls. Though, Ambati Rayudu lost his wickets in the fifth over after scoring just twelve runs. Watson continued his power hitting and found a determined ally in Suresh Raina and together they scored 81 runs for the "yellow brigade." MS Dhoni and Sam Billings lost their wicket after scoring 5 and 3 runs respectively. Dwayne Bravo gave a decent contribution in the death overs. Ravindra Jadeja scored two runs on the last ball of the innings. Rajasthan team was able to hold the innings in the death overs. The run rate became a bit slower after 13th over, at one stage, Chennai were 150 after losing 2 wickets, on the other hand, they scored just 54 runs in the last 7 overs. Fall of wickets: 50-1 (Ambati Rayudu, 4.3), 131-2 (Suresh Raina, 11.5), 151-3 (MS Dhoni, 13.2), 161-4 (Sam Billings, 15.1), 202-5 (Shane Watson, 19.5) In bowling, Shreyas Gopal emerged as a star as he took 3 crucial wickets by giving 20 runs in his 4-over spell but other bowlers like Stuart Binny, Ben Stokes, Krishnappa Gowtham proved very expensive against Chennai.

IPL 2018: Shane Watson's ton helps Chennai to set 205-run target against Rajasthan

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