Top Players with Most Player of the Match Awards in T20 World Cup History

As the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is set to begin on February 7, cricket fans are eagerly anticipating outstanding individual performances that could help teams clinch victories and secure Player of the Match (POTM) awards. India will enter the tournament as the defending champions, aiming to become the first team to win three T20 World Cups on home soil.

Virat Kohli Leads the Pack
At the top of the all-time list for most POTM awards in T20 World Cup history is Indian batsman Virat Kohli. Between 2012 and 2024, Kohli played in 35 T20 World Cup matches and won the Player of the Match award 8 times, more than any other player.

Second Place – Four Players with 5 Awards Each
The second spot is shared by four players, each winning the POTM award five times:

• Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 33 matches
• Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 31 matches
• Shane Watson (Australia) – 24 matches
• Adam Zampa (Australia) – 21 matches

Third Place – Four Players with 4 Awards Each
Four players occupy the third position, each winning four POTM awards:

• AB de Villiers (South Africa) – 30 matches
• Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) – 35 matches
• Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) – 34 matches
• Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 43 matches

Fourth Place – Six Players with 3 Awards Each
Six players share the fourth spot, each winning the award three times:

• Asalanka (Sri Lanka) – 16 matches
• R. Ashwin (India) – 24 matches
• Jos Buttler (England) – 35 matches
• Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) – 18 matches
• Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) – 32 matches
• Kevin Pietersen (England) – 15 matches

Players of the Series (POTS) Highlights
Many cricketing greats have also claimed the Player of the Series award in T20 World Cups. Notable winners include Virat Kohli (India), Jasprit Bumrah (India), Sam Curran (England), Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Kevin Pietersen (England), and Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), each winning the award once.

As the 2026 T20 World Cup approaches, all eyes will be on these players and emerging stars to see who adds their name to the prestigious list of match and series award winners.