5 current players with the most Man of the Match awards in ODIs
Cricket is a team game and to score a win, every single player needs to contribute. However, there are a few cases when a single player has an outstanding outing and single-handedly carries the team to victory. Such performances deserve recognition. Therefore, at the end of each game, a player is adjudicated as the Player of the Match. In ODIs, Sachin Tendulkar has been the Man of the Match 62 times in the 463 matches he played in and he is the current record holder. On that note, let us talk about the current players in the overall list:
#5 Ross Taylor: 17 in 232 games
The 36-year-old Kiwi is one of the best batsmen to play the game for New Zealand. Ross Taylor made his ODI debut in 2006. Since then, he has played 232 matches and batted in 216 of them. The former skipper managed to grab the Man of the Match award in 17 of those games. Taylor has scored 8569 runs in ODIs at an average of over 48 with 21 centuries against his name. He is still going strong and is one of the most important players in the current New Zealand squad, looking likely to continue to add to his tally of 17.
#4 David Warner: 17 in 123 games
David Warner became an overnight sensation when he smashed 89 off 43 balls against South Africa on his international debut in a T20I at the iconic MCG. The hard-hitting Aussie has always been an impact player and it is evident from the fact that he has won the Man of the Match award 17 times in just 123 games. The southpaw has scored 5267 runs in 121 ODI innings at an average north of 45. The opener has scored 18 centuries in his ODI career. At 33, Warner has a lot of cricket left in him and will look to move up in this list.
#3 Rohit Sharma: 21 in 224 games
The Indian opening batsman is one of the best limited over batsmen in the world at the moment. Rohit Sharma made his ODI debut in 2007. The talented batsman failed to show any consistency in his earlier days. But since his promotion to the opening slot during the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, he has never looked back. The Mumbai Indians skipper has won the Man of the Match trophy 21 times in ODIs. In 224 games, he has scored 9915 runs at an average of just below 50. He has 29 ODI hundreds, including 3 200s and the highest ODI score of 264 belongs to him. Sharma is showing no signs of slowing down and the numbers are getting better with every outing.
#2 Martin Guptill: 21 in 183 games
Another opening batsman makes the list in Martin Guptill. The batsman from Auckland made his ODI debut in 2009 and is known for his aggressive batting at the top of the order. The hard-hitting Kiwi has been the Man of the Match 21 times from the 183 games he has featured in. He has scored 6843 runs in 180 innings at an average of just over 42. Guptill has scored 18 ODI centuries, including a 237 against West Indies at the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. Aged just 33, Guptill has time to nab a few more awards and move up in this list.
#1 Virat Kohli: 36 in 248 games
Keeping the numbers aside, what makes Virat Kohli more special is the impact he has had on the game. The Delhi lad has been the Man of the Match 36 times from 248 games. In the overall list, he is placed at the third spot behind fellow countryman Tendulkar and Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya. The latter has won the coveted award 48 times, having played 445 games in his career. In ODIs, Kohli has amassed 11867 runs in only 239 innings at an average just below 60 with 43 tons.
Kohli has many years of cricket left in him and he can break every single ODI batting record. Getting the most Man of the Match awards en route is certainly within his capabilities.
#Note: All statistics are as of 24 March 2020