World T20: New RCB man Watson warms up to Bangalore fans

BANGALORE: This city has one of the better crowds for cricket matches, traditionally, but the IPL has given enthused fans in Bangalore even more reason to come to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and have a good time. While Royal Challengers Bangalore have never won the IPL title, the success that Chris Gayle, chiefly, and AB de Villiers have had with the franchise has earned them a legion of fans in Bangalore.
On Sunday, the spectators made their way to the Chinnaswamy and filled up most of the stadium in anticipation of watching their beloved batting superstar Gayle. As it panned out, Gayle injured a hamstring in the field against Sri Lanka and didn't bat during West Indies' successful chase. The best chance the fans had to flex their vocal chords for the marauding RCB opener was when he came out of the dressing room and flashed his pearly whites for the cameras as a roar of 'We want Gayle, we want Gayle' reverberated across the ground.

After the win, Gayle tweeted to his supporters: "Great team win tonight. The Bengaluru crowd/fans always amazing, sorry y'all didn't see me bat tonight but I will be back. #OneLove #WorldT20".

Less than 24 hours later, there was a generous dose of Bangalore cheer trained at another cricketer who could well end up as Gayle's opening partner in a few weeks' time: Shane Watson.
The 34-year-old Australian allrounder emerged the biggest of purchases from the 2016 IPL player auction, finding his second franchise in RCB who forked out Rs 9.5 crore for his services. Watson, who for eight seasons has represented Rajasthan Royals until their suspension last year, attracted heavy bidding from RCB and Mumbai Indians, but it the Bangalore franchise nabbed his services from a base price of 2 crore.
Watson, finding himself enjoying a new lease on life as an Australia cricketer - he retired from Tests after last year's Ashes and in January conceded that his international career was all but over after being overlooked for three ODIs against India - remains a draw in India but it was interesting to see how his adopted home fans would receive him.
In his first T20I in Bangalore, and with the IPL looming large in April, Watson's movements found more following than he possibly has found here before. Watson - who will join fellow Australians Kane Richardson and Travis Head at RCB this year - took two wickets, a catch and scored 21 from 15 balls as Australia narrowly beat Bangladesh by three wickets for their first points of the ICC World Twenty20.
Watson's first spell of 2/10 was huge. (Getty Images)
You could sense the anticipation around his success. Watson's first over was the second of the match, and he struck second ball when a jittery Soumya Sarkar cut straight to Glenn Maxwell at point. The cheering spoke volumes.
Steven Smith took him off and brought him back for the sixth over, and immediately Watson had a second when Sabbir Rahman danced out and was well taken at mid-on by a tumbling James Faulkner. Watson's first spell of 2/10 was huge, with two wides down the pads the only blemish. True, he succeeded in part to the pressure applied by a very accurate Nathan Coulter-Nile (first spell 3-0-9-0) but the fans in the stadium just seemed thrilled to have him bowling up front.
When he took a catch at deep midwicket in the tenth over, the dismissal was received with more cheer. Watson's last over cost 17 as Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim steered him for boundaries, and this time the noise was for the batsmen. By now, the Bangalore fans seemed to want an even contest.
At 9:55pm, Watson skipped out and swung his first six to cow corner. Three mines later, he was run out by Sabbir Rahman. No batting display to talk of, but Watson has given Bangalore a hint of what could become a recurring theme once the IPL starts on April 9. Judging by their reaction to his success, they are more than ready to have him slip from Australian green and gold to RCB red and blue.