Top 10 Players With Most Man Of The Match Awards In International Cricket

The history of cricket, over the years, has produced some of the exciting talents who have gone on to make a mark of themselves. With a fast-moving world, one single match can break or make a cricketers career. If he shines at the onset of his first opportunity, he will buy himself more chances to showcase. A man of the match award is generally given to a player for his impact on the said game.

Awards work as a motivation for the players to strive for better in the next game. Over the years, we have seen cricketers who have done consistently well for their countries over the years. Winning one or two awards is easy, but achieving it for a consistent period of time is a tough job to attain.

We at Cricket Addictor will take a look at the top ten cricketers with the most man of the match awards in international cricket across the formats:

Also read: Top 10 Players With Most Man Of The Series Awards In ODI Cricket

10. Aravinda de Silva

One of the game’s best entertainers, Aravinda de Silva possessed almost all the strokes in his archery. His unbeaten century in the 1996 ICC World Cup final helped Sri Lanka lift their maiden trophy beating Australia. His ability to bat long is a testimony of over 15000 international runs he has scored.

Meanwhile, not just only scoring runs, de Silva helped his side in crunch situations taking the onus on themselves. As a result, the 5ft 3 1/2in batsman bagged as many as 41 man of the match awards throughout his cricketing career.

9. Viv Richards

Sir Viv Richards was the most devastating batsman of all time. His strength lied in his frontfoot and had tremendous power to smack the bowlers all over the ground. Richards has won many matches single-handedly on his shoulders for West Indies.

The West Indies legend average 50 in almost all the formats scoring over 15000 international runs. Richards has won 41 man of the match awards in his career in the 308 international games he has played for his country. As a result, he occupies the ninth spot in the list of cricketers with the most man of the match awards.

8. Brian Lara

Former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara is one of the greatest batsmen to have played the game. Very few have built massive scores as often and as fast as Lara did in the prime time. In the space of two months in 1994, Lara’s 375 and 501 not out broke world records for the highest Test and first-class scores and arrived the greatest left-hander of all time. Since then, he didn’t had to look back.

The legendary batsman dominated the game for a decade and a half and scored over 20000 international runs. He has represented West Indies in 430 matches bagging 42 man of the match awards for himself with his spectacular display of batting.

7. Shahid Afridi

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi ability to slog is unmatched in world cricket. He owns two of the fastest ODI hundreds, including the fastest one ever in his first innings ever at the age of 16. Afridi also has the best strike-rate when it comes to limited-overs cricket.

He is one of the greatest entertainers of the cricket world with his contributions to all the department. In a careering ranging over almost two decades, Afridi has played 524 matches for his country across the formats winning 42 man of the match awards. As a result, he occupies the seventh spot in the list of cricketers with the most man of the match awards in international cricket.

6. Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting will go down in history as the most successful Australian skippers of all time. However, his record as a batsman is something a youngster will aspire to achieve. Moreover, Ponting is Australia’s most successful run-scorer and only sits below Don Bradman in the country.

Read more: Top 10 Players With Most Man Of The Series Awards In ODI Cricket

A career with over 27000 international runs, Ponting has won 49 man of the match awards throughout his career which lasted for 17 years. The World Cup-winning skipper sits on the sixth spot in the list of maximum man of the awards in international cricket.

5. Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara – a prodigy of the left-handed batting, was a treat to eyes with his delicate cover drives and square cuts. Although he was not sharp with his wicket-keeping skills but developed and had natural leadership abilities. Sangakkara had been the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s batting for 15 years scoring 28000 international runs across the formats.

A true leader both on and off the field, Sangakkara had great moral values and respect for others. In the 594 games, he has represented his country; the southpaw has earned 50 man of the match awards including 31 in the ODIs. He won 16 in Test cricket while the other three came in the shortest format of the game.

4. Jacques Kallis

Former South Africa cricketer Jacques Kallis is the greatest all-rounder to have played the game of cricket in the 21st century. Only a handful of cricketers, who belong to the modern age is a better fit than Kallis for the notion of the classical cricketer. His over 25000 international runs and 577 wickets speak volumes of his ability.

The prolific all-rounder has won 57 man of the match award from 519 international games he has played. As a result, Kallis occupy the fourth spot in the list of most man of the match awards by a cricketer.

3. Virat Kohli

With sheer passion and succeed and hunger for runs, Virat Kohli has achieved greatness. He is the greatest ever in the limited-over cricket among the modern-day greats. Kohli’s 43 ODI tons in 242 innings speaks a volume about his consistency and how far he has in a short span. The talismanic run-scorer now has the second most ODI centuries after his idol, Sachin Tendulkar.

Kohli has led his team from the front with the bat, especially while chasing a target. In 429 matches for India, Kohli has won 57 man of the match awards; thus, occupying the third spot in the list. Moreover, he is the only player to feature in the list who is still playing.

2. Sanath Jayasuriya

For the first ten years in his career in the domestic circuit, Sanath Jayasuriya was considered to be a left-arm spinner who could bat. But he changed everyone’s mind when he redefined the art of batting during the 1996 World Cup. His ability to score quick and big at the same time before coming and claiming crucial wickets made him one of the rarest commodities of cricket.

Jayasuriya registered over 20000 international runs and 400 wickets which earned him 58 man of the match awards making him the second-most cricket to achieve the feat. He overtakes Jacques Kallis by five more awards to occupy the second spot.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has been the most prolific run-scorers of this generation, making batting look easy. He has been the most complete player of his generation and the biggest star of the game. His 100 international centuries and over 34000 runs are the perfect examples of his greatness.

The India legend who has played the most number of games – 664 over 24 years has bagged 76 man of the match awards – the most by any cricket. He peeps his neighbour Sanath Jayasuriya by quite a margin to occupy the top spot. Interestingly, Tendulkar has also won the most man of the series awards in international cricket.

(All stats are updated till 14th March, 2021)