Negating quality spinners during T20 WC vital for Australia: Watson

Australia all rounder Shane Watson has claimed nullifying quality spinners during the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup would be crucial to their chances of winning the tournament for the first time ever.

Watson said they would try not to give any momentum to the plethora of quality spinners they would have to face throughout the tournament, starting with facing young left-arm spinner George Dockrell from Ireland when they meet during their opening game on Wednesday.

Australia will then face West Indies' Sunil Narine on Saturday, who dominated them in the Caribbean this year and was named the ICC Emerging Player of the Year.

The importance of tackling world class spin bowlers was stressed more when Ajantha Mendis, Sri Lanka's mystery spinner, gave the host country the perfect start to the tournament when he baffled Zimbabwe with six wickets for eight runs, the best ever figures in a Twenty20 international on Tuesday.

Watson believes their batsmen have made important progress against spin, and became more confident after facing Pakistan's bewitching off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in the United Arab Emirates earlier this month.

"It's going to be important for our team especially on spin-friendly pitches to nullify the quality spinners without giving them too much momentum, especially from the wicket side of things, and we''ve definitely got the players to be able to do that," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Watson, as saying.

Although, Australia wouldn't face Sri Lanka in the group stage, but both the teams can meet in the next stage of the mega tournament.

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