IPL 2018: Chennai Super Kings' Shane Watson Slams 51-Ball Ton, Joins Elite List

© BCCI

A day after Chris Gayle blitzkrieg decimated SunRisers Hyderabad, it was Shane Watson's turn to hog the limelight as he brought up his third Indian Premier League (IPL) ton in 51 balls during an encounter between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Pune on Friday. Watson dominated the RR bowlers, smashing them to all parts of the ground. He scored nine fours and six sixes during his knock of 106 off 57 deliveries. CSK openers Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu came out to open the innings with positive intent. Watson was looking at his menacing best and Rayudu was giving him good support, at the same time putting the bad deliveries away. After Rayudu's departure in the fifth over, the partnership between Watson and Suresh Raina grew from strength to strength the duo took Chennai past 100 in the 10th over.

Watson has proved his credentials as a cricketer and time and again by coming to the aid of his franchises and for his country. He had a terrible IPL season 10 with Royal Challengers Bangalore which by his own admission was the "worst-ever" and he needed a knock like this to make a statement.

The two-time Player of the Tournament also became the third player after AB de Villiers and David Warner to slam three centuries in the IPL. Gayle leads the list with 6 scores of over 100 followed by Virat Kohli with 4 tons. Brendon McCullum, Hashim Amla, Murali Vijay, Adam Gilchrist and Virender Sehwag have two each.

The two-time Player of the Tournament also became the third player after AB de Villiers and David Warner to slam three centuries in the IPL. Gayle leads the list with 6 scores of over 100 followed by Virat Kohli with 4 tons. Brendon McCullum, Hashim Amla, Murali Vijay, Adam Gilchrist and Virender Sehwag have two each.

The Royals committed the grave error of dropping him twice and the 36-year-old made them pay for their mistakes. Watson has a phenomenal IPL record, where he has played 106 matches and scored more than 2700 runs at an average of 32.07. Apart from three hundreds, he has also hit 14 fifties.