5 Players with Most Man of the Match Awards in Cricket
The top cricket Man of the Match winners
The man of the match award is given after a cricket match to the player who creates the most entertaining performance.
In the 1980s, the Man of the Match award in international cricket became a custom.
It is given to the player who made an actual difference in the match's outcome, though occasionally a member of the losing team may also be named Man of the Match.
It is challenging to select a Man of the Match when there is a tie-in performance. The fans are never happy with the outcome, and they often argue over the potential candidates.
Cricket has a long and illustrious history. Despite being a team sport, some incredible individual performances have allowed players to single-handedly win games.
Cricket has witnessed some incredible outcomes based on stand-out performances from a player, from batsmen smashing match-winning centuries to bowlers wreaking havoc on the opposition.
These performances have been highlighted even more since the introduction of limited-overs cricket, with individual players taking charge and responsibility for their side to get them over the finish line.
These outstanding performances were also acknowledged by the players receiving a special mention and Man of the Match award after the game.
In this article, we will discuss the players who have won most Man of the Match awards in cricket.
1. Jacques Kallis
The greatest all-round player of all time, Jacques Kallis has astounding stats across all game formats. Kallis has 57 Man of the Match awards after playing for the South Africa Cricket Team for almost 20 years.
The former player helped the team win in all facets, including thrilling bowling, energetic fielding and exceptional batting.
In 166 Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20 Internationals, Kallis played for his nation.
He played in the aforementioned number of games, scoring 13289, 11579 and 666 runs while grabbing 292, 273 and 12 wickets respectively.
2. Shahid Afridi
This Pakistani superstar is the most exciting, talented and aggressive all-rounder of all time.
Shahid Afridi of Pakistan, a cricket-mad country, is one of those cricketers who are well-known all over the world. Even those who don't love cricket are familiar with his nickname “Boom Boom”.
The dynamic Pakistani star won the Man of the Match award 43 times during his illustrious career.
The former captain has played 524 times for the country in international cricket. In addition to this, he has 32 ODI match awards.
Although Afridi began his career as a leg spinner, he quickly developed into an all-rounder, thrilling the crowd with fantastic boundary blows.
He was frequently the crucial batter that the team needed to take the game away from the opposition. Afridi has 1716 runs in 27 Test matches for the Pakistan Cricket Team.
He has scored 1416 runs in 99 T20Is and 8064 runs in 398 ODI games. Except for runouts and amazing catches, the leg-break has dismissed 48, 395, and 98 cricketers in the respective formats.
3. Virat Kohli
The only cricketer on this list who is currently playing is this Indian superstar. Virat Kohli, one of the greatest players of our time, has been unstoppable in recent years.
Kohli has recently become the best batsman, setting records almost without effort thanks to his dedication and razor-sharp focus.
Virat, known as the "chase master," has a proven track record of successfully pursuing opponent totals. For that reason, he has received a lot of praise.
Virat is currently in third place on this list and he has already amassed 36 Man of the Match awards as a result of his successful batting run.
The Indian batting legend is likely to set many more records in the future because of his advanced age.
Even though it may be difficult for the current sensation to surpass Sachin's all-time record, Kohli, with his never-say-die attitude, is a serious contender for the top spot.
Additionally, Kohli has received nine Man of the Series awards, placing him joint third on the list with Shaun Pollock of South Africa.
4. Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya, who played cricket internationally for twenty years, is another superstar who made our list.
One of the best all-rounders in the annals of limited-overs cricket, he is the only player to have amassed over 12,000 runs and more than 300 wickets in one-day internationals.
In 445 games throughout his ODI career, which lasted from 1989 to 2011, he was named Player of the Match 48 times.
Sanath Jayasuriya was one of those cricketers who changed the course of cricket forever. He was the one who started playing aggressively right at the beginning of the game.
5. Sachin Tendulkar
Tendulkar, the Little Master, the most accomplished batsman, and the most revered cricketer in history, is the holder of nearly every significant batting record in the game, including the most runs and hundreds in Tests and ODIs.
Tendulkar also has the most international runs.
In 463 ODI matches from 1989 to 2012, he won Player of the Match 62 times during his international cricket career.
Sachin Tendulkar is undoubtedly the best cricketer of all time. The exceptionally talented Indian star is an inspiration not only to Indian fans but to cricket fans all around the globe.
The greatest accomplishment of Tendulkar's career was the double ton that came in 2010.
Back then, he was the first ever cricketer to do so, and his score is currently the 8th highest in One Day Internationals.
Sachin Tendulkar is also the recipient of the most Man of the Series awards.
Conclusion
Whether it's cricket, football or any other sport in the world- recognition is very important.
You can call it the Man of the Match, the Most Valuable Player of the Match or whatever you like, this recognition can be the biggest motivation of any player.
There have been numerous match-winning performances by players from different countries and these moments remain in the heart of the people forever.
