Shane Watson recalled facing thunderbolts from Wahab Riaz in the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup. Wahab Riaz was fired up while being at the receiving end of some sledging from the Australian. It all started with Shane Watson poking fun at Wahab Riaz’s batting ability while he was up against a lethal Mitchell Starc.
Shane Watson himself said that he undermined Wahab Riaz, who rattled him with sheer pace and ended up registering figures of 2/54 from nine overs, albeit in a losing cause. While Wahab Riaz dished out a sensational performance with the ball, Shane Watson went on to score an unbeaten 64 to steer his team to victory. Australia went on to claim the World Cup crown a few days later.
Wahab Riaz Rued Pakistan Losing The Quarter Final Match Despite His Fiery Spell
Shane Watson came in to bat at No. 5 position after Wahab Riaz removed Australia captain Michael Clarke off a bouncer. His next four overs featured a string of bouncers that were super accurate and quick. Wahab Riaz even went near Shane Watson during the follow-through and clapped while staring at the Australian, which arguably was the highlight of the duel between the two players.
While Wahab Riaz dished out a sensational performance with the ball, Shane Watson went on to score an unbeaten 64 to steer Australia to victory. Australia won that match by 6 wickets and went on to claim the World Cup crown a few days later. The Pakistan paceman has recalled his battle in the quarterfinals, saying the love for his spell versus Australia is “mixed with pain” of not taking his side past the finish line.
Shane Watson earlier had also recalled the showdown, labelling it as one of the most special moments in his career. Shane Watson was fined 15 per cent of his match fees by the match referee while Wahab Riaz had been fined 50 per cent of his match fees.
“Wahab Riaz went absolutely crazy, bouncing the living daylights out of me, he bowled super accurate and he kept bouncing me,” Watson had said about the match while answering questions from fans on his Instagram.
“It was very silly and naïve of me that I didn’t realize that Wahab Riaz could bowl that fast. I said something to him – because he kept playing and missing Mitchell Starc – so I ran past him and said, ‘Have you got a hole in your bat? Because you just keep missing the ball.’ And again, I didn’t realise he could bowl that fast so once I got out there, I got absolutely peppered.”
“I look back at that moment, that was a very special ‘moment to be part of, even though it was super uncomfortable. He got on top of me, I got dropped at fine leg, but yeah, worked out really well in the end,” he had added.
It’s been seven years since the “heated but thrilling contest” between Pakistani pacer Wahab Riaz and Australia’s Shane Watson in the quarterfinals of the ICC World Cup 2015. Shane Watson played 59 Tests, 190 ODIs, and 58 T20Is for Australia before retiring in 2016 from international cricket after debuting in 2002.
Wahab Riaz has so far played 27 Tests, 91 ODIs, and 36 T20I games for Pakistan. He bagged 83 wickets in Tests and 120 in ODIs. In T20Is, he accounted for 34 scalps. Since December 2020, he has not represented the national side.
Australia 216 for 4 (Smith 65, Watson 64*) beat Pakistan 213 (Haris Sohail 41, Hazlewood 4-35) by 6 wickets