Mark Watt Draws Inspiration from Ravichandran Ashwin, Reads Analysis Notes before Bowling
Watt reading notes before bowling to West Indies batters in the T20 World Cup last year. (Twitter)
Scotland's left-arm spinner Mark Watt of Scotland revealed how the analysis conducted by India's off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin during the T20 World Cup 2021 influenced his approach to note reading before bowling in international matches.
A fascinating incident unfolded during Scotland's ICC World Cup Qualifiers match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, June 23, when Watt, as part of a pre-planned strategy, retrieved a piece of paper from his pocket before starting his second over in the UAE innings. After stashing away the paper, he proceeded to bowl.
The incident quickly grabbed the attention of social media users, causing the video to go viral. Notably, Watt had previously employed a similar tactic during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup the previous year.
Watt's performance on the field was exceptional, as he not only managed to secure a crucial wicket but also restricted the UAE batsmen to a mere 22 runs in his spell of eight overs. His contribution proved instrumental in Scotland's commanding victory, with a remarkable margin of 111 runs, underscoring his significant impact on the outcome of the crucial match.
In a video released by the International Cricket Council (ICC), Watt shed light on his approach, saying:
"Yeah, it's just analysing stuff that goes back to when we played against India in the World Cup. I spoke to Ashwin and he told me about all the analysis work that he did against Scotland. So I was like ok if he’s doing that against Scotland, I should be doing it against everyone. Just learning from the top, top bowlers.”
Watt's revelation highlights the influence of thorough analysis and the importance of learning from the experiences of top cricketers.
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