[10] He began playing cricket at an early age and represented Queensland Primary Schools in an interstate championship in Darwin in 1993.

[12] Before 2000, players who were part of the academy were required to play cricket in their home states in the following year, but a rule change that year made Watson a free agent, and he chose to move to Hobart, Tasmania where he was guaranteed an immediate place in the Tasmanian state team.

[14] He had topped the Pura Cup wicket-taking charts for Tasmania, as well as had steady middle-order batting performances.

[15] Watson also made his ODI debut on tour, replacing Steve Waugh, who was sacked after the team failed to make the finals of the 2001–02 VB Series.

[16] He stayed in the team until the start of 2003, when he suffered three stress fractures in his back, meaning he missed the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

[11] In April 2004, Watson also switched teams in domestic cricket, moving back to his home state to play for Queensland.

This changed when Watson opened the batting for Australia at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, alongside wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, instead of Simon Katich.

In the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy held in South Africa, Watson again played a prominent role, making two consecutive 100s against England and New Zealand in semi-final and final, helping Australia to defend their title.

[26] Watson eventually returned in February to the ODI side, replacing Cameron White in the all rounder position, However he again broke down with injury during the 29th match of 2007 Cricket World Cup and missed two matches of the Super 8's before returning in fine style scoring an unbeaten 65 off 32 balls against New Zealand.

Injury again struck Watson in the early stages of the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 as he missed most of the tournament due to hamstring strain.

After Symonds was omitted from the Australian team for disciplinary reasons, Watson took the all rounder's position for the tour of India in late 2008, batting at No.

As the pitch was a green, rain-affected moist surface expected to favour seamers, spinner Jason Krejza was dropped to accommodate two seam bowling all rounders.

After the match, which Australia won, Watson was dropped as spinner Nathan Hauritz was included and Symonds retained.

In the second innings, he removed opposition captain Chris Gayle and then charged towards him, screaming in celebration directly in front of him.

On Day four, Watson finally made his first Test hundred, which came in interesting style, by hitting the ball hard to the fielder at point who put the catch down.

He topscored again in the second innings with a run-a-ball 56, which proved vital in setting a competitive target as Australia's middle order again collapsed in spectacular fashion following his dismissal.

[41] During 2010–2013, he won a series of Australian "Player of the Year" awards,[42] including the Allan Border Medal in 2010 and 2011.

In the first match against Ireland at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Watson opened the bowling and took 3–26 (the wickets of opener-captain William Porterfield, keeper-batsman Niall O'Brien and all-rounder Kevin O'Brien); he then scored 51 from 30 balls to help his side win the match in 15.1 overs.

In the next match against the West Indies he again opened the bowling and batting, taking 2–29 from 4 overs (the wickets of Chris Gayle & Kieron Pollard).

He then scored 41 not out from 24 balls to win the Man of the Match award as his side won by 17 runs (by the Duckworth-Lewis method).

[48] Against South Africa he took 2–29 (the wickets of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers), following it up with 70 from 47 balls to win his fourth consecutive Man of the Match award.

After the second match, coach Mickey Arthur requested that the players each give an individual presentation on the team's failures and where they could improve.

[55] Watson and his then-pregnant wife left India and returned home to Australia for the birth of their child, a contingency that had been in place before he was dropped.

[54] Watson returned to India for the final match of the series, and stood in as the team's captain because Clarke had a back injury.

[60] As a result of his poor form, Watson was dropped for Australia's match against Afghanistan, and was replaced by James Faulkner.

He played in the first Test match of the Ashes in Cardiff, but he failed to take any wickets with the ball or score many runs with the bat.

After this injury, Watson decided to retire from Test cricket with the hope of continuing to play in the two shorter formats.

Watson was forced to enter the IPL auction for the first time since 2008, and was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for AU$1.96 million, the most of any Australian player.

[81] Watson signed with Australian Big Bash League franchise Sydney Thunder in 2015 and was a member of the team that won the BBL that season.

[69] As part of the Australian team, he won the Cricket World Cup twice (in 2007 and 2015) and the ICC Champions Trophy twice (in 2006 and 2009), winning the player-of-the-match award in the tournament final both times.