IPL 2025: Seemed like he was born to perform on this stage, says Watson on Digvesh Rathi's spell vs MI

Rathi returned with figures of 1-21 in his four overs as Mumbai Indians were chasing a total of 204. He was the only Lucknow bowler to concede at an economy of less than 6 while experienced bowlers including Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep and Ravi Bishnoi all leaked 40 or more runs in their four-over spells.

"It seemed like he was born to perform on this IPL stage. He wasn't reserved - he was out there, beating his chest, showing confidence, and executing beautifully. What stands out about Digvesh is how simple he keeps his game. He runs in, uses his variations - the carrom ball and off-spinner - but his control over length is what makes him so dangerous," Watson said on JioHotstar.

"When a bowler gets the length right, it's tough for batters to step out or go on the back foot. To think that in a high-scoring game, where nearly 200 runs were posted, he conceded just 21 runs in his four overs--that's something very, very special. It's the kind of impact we usually see from Sunil Narine. That's why he was the Man of the Match - performances like this don't happen often. But that's the beauty of the IPL. Every season, new talents like Digvesh burst onto the scene and showcase their incredible skills," he added.

Watson further dissected Lucknow's impressive turnaround against MI, particularly highlighting their bowling and fielding efforts.

"That was a crucial turnaround from their previous game, where they were convincingly beaten by Punjab Kings. To come back and close out a game like this speaks volumes about their resilience. With the bowlers they have, Avesh Khan and Shardul Thakur aren't traditionally considered among the best death bowlers in this IPL, but they executed their skills incredibly well tonight.

"Their performance under pressure will give both of them, and the entire team, a massive confidence boost - knowing they can close out games at critical moments. LSG's fielding was outstanding as well. You could see the energy and desperation on the field -especially with Nicholas Pooran, who was diving around and giving it his all. That kind of attitude ran through the entire team," Watson added.

Watson also commented on Thakur's clutch over, emphasising his ability to step up when it mattered most.

"Shardul executed brilliantly. He knew he had to commit to his yorker. Typically, bowlers rely on changes of pace early on, but that just wasn't working tonight. So, he focused on nailing his yorkers, especially against an in-form Hardik Pandya. Bowling a seven-run over at such a crucial stage, with Hardik at the crease, was special. That's a big confidence booster for him. Given that Shardul went unsold in the auction and then got picked up as a free agent, you can see how determined he is to prove himself. He's now delivered two strong performances, and this one played a major role in LSG getting over the line," the former Australian cricketer said.