In ODI cricket, there are many match-winning performances with both and ball that makes the team standout in front of their opponent. The 50-over format has been a challenging format over the years and many cricketers have turned out to be among the best players in this format.
Throughout the years, there have been several cricketers who won Player of the Match awards multiple times in ODI cricket. In the following listicle, we will look at the top seven cricketers with most Player of the Match awards in ODI cricket.
Most Player of the Match awards in ODI cricket
7. Vivian Richards – 31 awards
Former West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards was one of the greatest batters of his generation. He was a player to look out for during West Indies domination in cricket in the decade of 80s. He couldn’t contribute much to West Indies’ maiden ODI World Cup triumph in 1975, but finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the 1979 World Cup and helped the Windies to defend their title successfully. The right-hand batter has won 31 Player of the Match awards from 187 ODI matches in his career.
#PAGE_BREAK#
6. Shahid Afridi – 32 awards
Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been one of the best all-rounders in the country. He was a kind of player who could contribute with both bat and ball with over 8064 runs and 398 wickets in the ODI format respectively. Afridi has won 32 Player of the Match awards from 398 matches in his ODI career.
#PAGE_BREAK#
5. Ricky Ponting – 32 awards
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was a kind of a player who used to lead form the front. He led Australia to two ODI World Cups and two Champions Trophy titles and has also contributed with the bat by scoring a match-winning hundred in the 2003 World Cup final. Ponting has won 32 Player of the Match awards from 375 ODI matches of his career.
#PAGE_BREAK#
4. Jacques Kallis – 32 awards
Probably the greatest all-rounder in cricket, former South Africa cricketer Jacques Kallis is the fourth player in the list to win most Player of the Match awards in ODI cricket. With 11579 runs and 273 wickets in the format, Kallis has won 32 Player of the Match awards from 328 ODI matches of his career.
#PAGE_BREAK#
3. Virat Kohli – 41 awards
The only active cricketer in the list, India’s Virat Kohli has proved himself to be one of the best batters in the ODI format. He remained as the number one ODI batter from 2017 to 2021 and has also achieved the milestone of 50 centuries in the format. The right-hander has won 41 Player of the Match awards from 295 ODI matches of his career so far.
#PAGE_BREAK#
2. Sanath Jayasuriya – 48 awards
Former Sri Lanka cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya is the second player in the list to win most Player of the Match awards in ODI cricket. The left-hand batter has won 48 Player of the Match awards from 445 ODI matches of his career.
#PAGE_BREAK#
1. Sachin Tendulkar – 62 awards
India’s cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar has won most number of Player of the Match awards in the history of ODI cricket. The former cricketer is the all-time highest run-scorer in the ODIs with 18426 runs and finished as the top run-getter in the 1996 World Cup and the 2003 World Cup respectively. Tendulkar has won 62 Player of the Match awards in 463 matches of his ODI career.
