The T20 World Cup is one of the most important tournaments in the game of cricket. Every player’s dream is to represent his country in an ICC tournament. But not everyone gets that chance. But still, there are some legends of the games that make their presence count when it comes to making an impact on the World Cup stage.
A total of around 200 players participate in one edition, but only one player comes out on top, who also helps his team perform in almost every match. So in this article, we will look at the list of all those players who won the “Man of the Tournament” award in the T20 World Cup.
Man of the tournament in the T20 World Cup History
| Player | Team | Performance | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 91 runs & 12 wickets | 2007 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan | Sri Lanka | 317 runs | 2009 |
| Kevin Pietersen | England | 248 runs | 2010 |
| Shane Watson | Australia | 249 runs & 11 wickets | 2012 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 319 runs | 2014 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 273 runs | 2016 |
| David Warner | Australia | 289 runs | 2021 |
| Sam Curran | England | 13 wickets | 2022 |
Shahid Afridi (Man of the tournament) in 2007 World Cup
The first ever edition of the T20 World Cup was held in 2007 in South Africa. In the final, India and Pakistan played, and in a dramatic finish, India won the title. But it was Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi who won the “Man of the Tournament” award for his exceptional performance throughout the season. He took 12 wickets at an average of 15.66 and was the second highest wicket taker in T20 World cup. He also scored 91 runs with the bat.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (Man of the Tournament) in 2009 World Cup
Well, it was Pakistan who won the next edition of the World Cup in 2009. They won the final match against Sri Lanka. But the Sri Lankan opener, Tillakaratne Dilshan, ended up winning the “Man of the Tournament.” He was the best batter of the tournament. Dilshan scored 317 runs in seven games, including three half-centuries. He helped his team make it to the finals of the tournament.
Kevin Pietersen (Man of the Tournament) in 2010 World Cup
England won their first ever World Cup title in 2010, and that too, a T20 World Championship. And it was one man that took the English team to another height, who was also known for his ferocious batting. Kevin Pietersen ended the tournament as the highest run-scorer and also won the “Man of the Tournament” award with 248 runs at an average and a strike rate of 62 and 137.77, respectively.
Shane Watson (Man of the Tournament) in 2012 World Cup
The 2012 World Cup was won by the West Indies, and was held in Sri Lanka. But the man who totally changed the game with his performance was the Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson. He was the most impactful player of that season. Watson scored 249 runs at an average of 49.80 and also took 11 wickets at an economy of 7.33 in six games. He won the “Man of the Tournament” award.
Virat Kohli (Man of the Tournament) in 2014 World Cup
The former Indian captain will feature among the top in almost every batting record. The 2016 season saw the totally destructive avatar of Virat Kohli. He made the highest ever runs in one single edition of the T20 World Cup and won the “Man of the Tournament” award in 2014. Kohli scored 319 runs in six games at an incredible average of 106.33 and a strike rate of 129.14, including four half-centuries.
Virat Kohli (Man of the Tournament) in 2016 World Cup
Here is Virat Kohli once again on the list. Nobody in the history of cricket has won the “Man of the Tournament” award twice, let alone in consecutive editions. In 2016, he finished the season with the most points, once against Virat. He scored 273 runs in the tournament, including three half-centuries, at an average of 136.50.
David Warner (Man of the Tournament) in 2021 World Cup
The defending champions, Australia, had some players who performed really well in the last edition in the UAE. David Warner was their prime reason for their title glory. The left-hander came to the tournament totally out of form. But in the end, he was the most influential player in the whole tournament. The southpaw ended the season with 289 runs in seven games at an average of 48.16 and a strike rate of 146.70. He won the “Man of the Tournament” award.
Sam Curran (Player of the Tournament) in 2022 T20 World Cup
Sam Curran is the only specialist bowler to win this award in the T20 World cup history. He has taken 13 wickets in 6 innings, specially 3 wickets in the final match against Pakistan.