Player of the Match awards (cricket)
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In sport of cricket, a Man of the Match or Player of the match and Player of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a player from either team, usually the winning team.
In cricket, the man of the match award became a regular feature in Test matches in the mid 1980s.[1] The man of the match title is usually awarded to the player whose contribution is seen as the most critical in winning the game. However, there have been many instances when the performance of the losing team's player has earned him the award. Test cricket has witnessed rare instances when a joint award for man of the match or man of the series has been announced. However, in ODIs and Twenty20 this phenomenon is usually seen when the member of the losing team is the highest scorer, such as when Charles Coventry (194) and Tamim Iqbal (154) shared the award when Zimbabwe lost the match. In another interesting match held on 3 April 1996, the whole team from New Zealand was awarded the Men of the Match award. It was the first and only (till 2015) instance when a whole team was awarded it.[2]
In Test matches, Jacques Kallis holds the record for the highest number of awards won, with 23 in 166 matches played, which is then followed by Muttiah Muralitharan with 19 awards.[1]
In ODIs, Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the highest number of man of the match titles, with 62 awards in 463 matches played.[3] Tendulkar is followed by Sanath Jayasuriya, who, along with Ricky Ponting, also holds the record for the maximum number of Man of the Match titles as captain.[4]
In Twenty20 Internationals, Shahid Afridi top ranked with 11 awards, followed by Virat Kohli , Mohammad Shahzad , Chris Gayle and Shane Watson with 9 awards.[5]
The following tables are about the players with most Player of the Match awards and Player of the Series awards in all formats of the game.
Test Cricket
Most Player-of-the Match Awards
No. of Awards | Player | Matches | Career |
---|---|---|---|
23 | Jacques Kallis ![]() |
166 | 1995-2013 |
19 | Muttiah Muralitharan ![]() |
133 | 1992-2010 |
17 | Wasim Akram ![]() |
104 | 1985-2002 |
17 | Shane Warne ![]() |
145 | 1992-2007 |
16 | Kumar Sangakkara ![]() |
134 | 2000-2015 |
16 | Ricky Ponting ![]() |
168 | 1995-2012 |
14 | Curtley Ambrose ![]() |
98 | 1988-2000 |
14 | Steve Waugh ![]() |
168 | 1985-2004 |
14 | Sachin Tendulkar ![]() |
200 | 1989-2013 |
13 | Mahela Jayawardene ![]() |
149 | 1997-2014 |
12 | Ian Botham ![]() |
102 | 1977-1992 |
12 | Graeme Smith ![]() |
117 | 2002-2014 |
12 | Brian Lara ![]() |
131 | 1990-2006 |
11 | Imran Khan ![]() |
88 | 1971-1992 |
11 | Aravinda de Silva ![]() |
93 | 1984-2002 |
11 | Shaun Pollock ![]() |
108 | 1995-2008 |
11 | Daniel Vettori ![]() |
113 | 1997-2014 |
11 | Glenn McGrath ![]() |
124 | 1993-2007 |
11 | Allan Border ![]() |
156 | 1978-1994 |
11 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul ![]() |
164 | 1994-2015 |
Last updated: 25 March 2016[6] |
Most Player-of-the Series Awards
No. of Awards | Player | No. of Series | Career |
---|---|---|---|
11 | Muttiah Muralitharan ![]() |
61 | 1992-2010 |
9 | Jacques Kallis ![]() |
61 | 1995-2013 |
8 | Imran Khan ![]() |
28 | 1971-1992 |
8 | Richard Hadlee ![]() |
33 | 1973-1990 |
8 | Shane Warne ![]() |
46 | 1992-2007 |
7 | Wasim Akram ![]() |
43 | 1985-2002 |
7 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul ![]() |
60 | 1994-2015 |
6 | Malcolm Marshall ![]() |
21 | 1978-1991 |
6 | Curtley Ambrose ![]() |
27 | 1988-2000 |
6 | Steve Waugh ![]() |
54 | 1985-2004 |
5 | Ravichandran Ashwin ![]() |
12 | 2011-2016 |
5 | Andrew Strauss ![]() |
29 | 2004-2012 |
5 | Graham Gooch ![]() |
34 | 1975-1995 |
5 | Dale Steyn ![]() |
35 | 2004-2015 |
5 | Michael Clarke ![]() |
38 | 2004-2015 |
5 | Waqar Younis ![]() |
38 | 1989-2003 |
5 | Virender Sehwag ![]() |
39 | 2001-2013 |
5 | Glenn McGrath ![]() |
42 | 1993-2007 |
5 | Sachin Tendulkar ![]() |
74 | 1989-2013 |
4 | Andrew Flintoff ![]() |
25 | 1998-2009 |
Last updated: 25 March 2016[7] |
One Day International Cricket
Most Player-of-the Match Awards
No. of Awards | Player | Matches | Career |
---|---|---|---|
62 | Sachin Tendulkar ![]() |
463 | 1989-2012 |
40 | Sanath Jayasuriya ![]() |
445 | 1989-2011 |
32 | Shahid Afridi ![]() |
398 | 1996-2015 |
32 | Jacques Kallis ![]() |
328 | 1996-2014 |
32 | Ricky Ponting ![]() |
375 | 1995-2012 |
31 | Vivian Richards ![]() |
187 | 1975-1991 |
31 | Sourav Ganguly ![]() |
311 | 1992-2007 |
31 | Kumar Sangakkara ![]() |
404 | 2000-2015 |
30 | Brian Lara ![]() |
299 | 1990-2007 |
30 | Aravinda de Silva ![]() |
308 | 1984-2003 |
28 | Saeed Anwar ![]() |
247 | 1989-2003 |
28 | Adam Gilchrist ![]() |
287 | 1996-2008 |
25 | AB de Villiers ![]() |
200 | 2005-Pre |
25 | Nathan Astle ![]() |
223 | 1995-2007 |
25 | Desmond Haynes ![]() |
238 | 1978-1994 |
25 | Yuvraj Singh ![]() |
293 | 2000-Pre |
25 | Tillakaratne Dilshan ![]() |
327 | 1999-Pre |
24 | Arjuna Ranatunga ![]() |
269 | 1982-1999 |
24 | Inzamam-ul-Haq ![]() |
378 | 1991-2007 |
23 | Virender Sehwag ![]() |
251 | 1999-2013 |
Last updated: 25 March 2016[8] |
Most Player-of-the Series Awards
No. of Awards | Player | No. of Series | Career |
---|---|---|---|
15 | Sachin Tendulkar ![]() |
108 | 1989-2012 |
11 | Sanath Jayasuriya ![]() |
111 | 1989-2011 |
9 | Shaun Pollock ![]() |
60 | 1996-2008 |
7 | Hashim Amla ![]() |
38 | 2008-Pre |
7 | Vivian Richards ![]() |
40 | 1975-1991 |
7 | Chris Gayle ![]() |
64 | 1999-Pre |
7 | Yuvraj Singh ![]() |
68 | 2000-2013 |
7 | Sourav Ganguly ![]() |
75 | 1992-2007 |
7 | Ricky Ponting ![]() |
77 | 1995-2012 |
6 | AB de Villiers ![]() |
54 | 2005-Pre |
6 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni ![]() |
63 | 2004-Pre |
6 | Jacques Kallis ![]() |
76 | 1996-2014 |
7 | Tillakaratne Dilshan ![]() |
80 | 1999-Pre |
6 | Inzamam-ul-Haq ![]() |
92 | 1991-2007 |
5 | Shakib Al Hasan ![]() |
47 | 2006-Pre |
5 | Kumar Sangakkara ![]() |
90 | 2000-2015 |
4 | Mitchell Starc ![]() |
16 | 2010-Pre |
4 | Kepler Wessels ![]() |
21 | 1983-1994 |
4 | Kane Williamson ![]() |
28 | 2010-Pre |
4 | David Gower ![]() |
32 | 1978-1991 |
Last updated: 25 March 2016[9] |
Twenty20 International Cricket
Most Player-of-the Match Awards
No. of Awards | Player | Matches | Career |
---|---|---|---|
11 | Shahid Afridi ![]() |
98 | 2006-pre |
9 | Virat Kohli ![]() |
43 | 2010-Pre |
9 | Mohammad Shahzad ![]() |
48 | 2010-Pre |
9 | Chris Gayle ![]() |
49 | 2006-Pre |
9 | Shane Watson ![]() |
58 | 2006-2016 |
8 | Mohammad Hafeez ![]() |
77 | 2006-Pre |
7 | Yuvraj Singh ![]() |
55 | 2007-Pre |
7 | Martin Guptill ![]() |
61 | 2009-Pre |
7 | Brendon McCullum ![]() |
71 | 2005-2015 |
7 | Umar Akmal ![]() |
79 | 2009-Pre |
6 | Sanath Jayasuriya ![]() |
31 | 2006-2011 |
6 | Kevin Pietersen ![]() |
37 | 2005-2013 |
6 | Mahela Jayawardena ![]() |
55 | 2006-2014 |
6 | David Warner ![]() |
61 | 2009-Pre |
6 | AB de Villiers ![]() |
71 | 2006-Pre |
6 | Tillakaratne Dilshan ![]() |
78 | 2007-Pre |
5 | Kusal Perera ![]() |
22 | 2013-2015 |
5 | Mudassar Bukhari ![]() |
38 | 2008-Pre |
5 | Ajantha Mendis ![]() |
39 | 2008-2014 |
5 | Umar Gul ![]() |
60 | 2007-Pre |
5 | Darren Sammy ![]() |
65 | 2007-Pre |
5 | JP Duminy ![]() |
70 | 2007-Pre |
Last updated: 31 March 2016[10] |
All Formats
Most Player-of-the Match Awards
No. of Awards | Player | Matches | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
76 | Sachin Tendulkar ![]() |
664 | 14 | 62 | 0 |
58 | Sanath Jayasuriya ![]() |
586 | 4 | 48 | 6 |
57 | Jacques Kallis ![]() |
519 | 23 | 32 | 2 |
50 | Kumar Sangakkara ![]() |
594 | 16 | 31 | 3 |
49 | Ricky Ponting ![]() |
560 | 16 | 32 | 1 |
43 | Shahid Afridi ![]() |
523 | 0 | 32 | 11 |
42 | Brian Lara ![]() |
430 | 12 | 30 | 0 |
41 | Vivian Richards ![]() |
308 | 10 | 31 | 0 |
41 | Aravinda de Silva ![]() |
401 | 11 | 30 | 0 |
41 | Mahela Jayawardene ![]() |
652 | 13 | 22 | 6 |
40 | Chris Gayle ![]() |
420 | 8 | 23 | 9 |
39 | Wasim Akram ![]() |
460 | 17 | 22 | 0 |
37 | Sourav Ganguly ![]() |
424 | 6 | 31 | 0 |
36 | AB de Villiers ![]() |
377 | 5 | 25 | 6 |
35 | Adam Gilchrist ![]() |
396 | 7 | 28 | 0 |
35 | Tillakaratne Dilshan ![]() |
492 | 4 | 25 | 6 |
35 | Steve Waugh ![]() |
493 | 14 | 21 | 0 |
34 | Shaun Pollock ![]() |
423 | 11 | 22 | 1 |
33 | Inzamam-ul-Haq ![]() |
499 | 9 | 24 | 0 |
32 | Virat Kohli ![]() |
254 | 2 | 21 | 9 |
32 | Yuvraj Singh ![]() |
388 | 0 | 25 | 7 |
32 | Muttiah Muralitharan ![]() |
495 | 19 | 13 | 0 |
Last updated: 28 March 2016[11] |
Most Player-of-the Series Awards
No. of Awards | Player | Series | Tests | ODIs | T20Is |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 | Sachin Tendulkar ![]() |
183 | 5 | 15 | 0 |
15 | Jacques Kallis ![]() |
148 | 9 | 6 | 0 |
13 | Sanath Jayasuriya ![]() |
176 | 2 | 11 | 0 |
11 | Shaun Pollock ![]() |
107 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
11 | Chris Gayle ![]() |
124 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
11 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul ![]() |
136 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
11 | Ricky Ponting ![]() |
147 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
11 | Muttiah Muralitharan ![]() |
155 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
10 | Imran Khan ![]() |
74 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
10 | Hashim Amla ![]() |
90 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
10 | Sourav Ganguly ![]() |
120 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
10 | AB de Villiers ![]() |
122 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
10 | Wasim Akram ![]() |
136 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
10 | Tillakaratne Dilshan ![]() |
146 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
10 | Kumar Sangakkara ![]() |
167 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
9 | Vivian Richards ![]() |
69 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
9 | Graham Gooch ![]() |
71 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
9 | Shane Warne ![]() |
82 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
9 | Shakib Al Hasan ![]() |
92 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
9 | Waqar Younis ![]() |
104 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
Last updated: 25 March 2016[12] |
References
- ^ a b "Records / Test matches / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) /Most player-of-the-match awards". ESPN Cricinfo. ESPN Sports Media. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ "4th ODI: West Indies v New Zealand at Georgetown, Apr 3, 1996 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo". ESPN Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "Records / One-Day Internationals / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) /Most player-of-the-match awards". ESPN Cricinfo. ESPN Sports Media. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ "Records / One-Day Internationals / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-match awards".
- ^ "Records / Twenty20 Internationals / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) /Most player-of-the-match awards". ESPN Cricinfo. ESPN Sports Media. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ "Records / Test matches / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-match awards". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Records / Test matches / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-series awards". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Records / One-Day Internationals / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-match awards". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Records / One-Day Internationals / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-series awards". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Records / Twenty20 Internationals / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-match awards". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Records / Combined Test, ODI and T20I records / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-match awards". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Records / Combined Test, ODI and T20I records / Individual records (captains, players, umpires) / Most player-of-the-series awards". Cricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 18 November 2015.