The Player of the Match award is a distinguished honor granted to any individual who showcases extraordinary performance in a cricket match, regardless of which side eventually wins. For instance, Shikhar Dhawan, captain of Punjab Kings, recently received the POTM award for his 99 runs against SunRisers Hyderabad, even though PBKS lost the game. Moreover, the POTM award in IPL is even more special due to its financial rewards, as the BCCI generally ties up lucrative sponsorship deals each season. Let’s look at the top 5 players who have won this award the most number of times:
5) MS Dhoni – 17
MS Dhoni’s legacy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is hard to match. His contributions to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been remarkable, having led them to the title four times. Not only has he provided the finishing touches to countless victories with his incredible batting, but he has also won 17 Player of the Match awards in 237 IPL matches for CSK and the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS). His last POTM award came in IPL 2019 against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
4) David Warner – 18
David Warner is a destructive opener, renowned for his ability to anchor an inning and lead a team to victory. He has an impressive record in the IPL, having amassed 6090 runs in 166 matches at an astonishing strike rate of 139.61. Furthermore, he has won the Orange Cap three times and 18 Player of the Match awards and the most recent when he made a 92 against SRH last season.
3) Rohit Sharma – 19
Rohit Sharma was awarded Player of the Match in the recent IPL clash between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians (MI). His knock of 65 off 45 balls played a pivotal role in helping MI chase down the 173-run total. This was Rohit’s 19th POTM award, putting him ahead of David Warner for most such awards amongst active cricketers. The Mumbai skipper first won the accolade way back in IPL 2009, when he scored 38 runs and then claimed a hat-trick – his best IPL bowling figures of 4/6 – to help the then-Deccan Chargers secure victory against Mumbai.
2) Chris Gayle – 22
Chris Gayle’s exceptional batting prowess has wreaked havoc upon many esteemed bowling attacks. During his 13-year stint in the IPL, he has represented three franchises and proudly registered the highest number of centuries (6). Every time he crossed the century mark, he was awarded the Player of the Match award, notably for his 175* against the now-defunct Pune Warriors India in 2013. In total, Gayle has won 22 POTMs out of 142 IPL matches.
1) AB de Villiers – 25
AB de Villiers is an IPL legend, holding the record for most Player of the Match awards. The South African started with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) under Virender Sehwag and later joined Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he established himself as an all-time great. His match-winning knocks for Delhi, and RCB saw him amass 25 POTM awards, with the latest coming from his 42-ball 75 against Delhi Capitals in 2021.
