The ICC T20 World Cup started in 2007 in South Africa to promote the new format, which has since gained immense popularity worldwide. Each edition has showcased outstanding performances, with the top player receiving the Man of the Tournament award. This article highlights all the players who have won this prestigious accolade from the inaugural tournament to the latest edition.
Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) – 2007 T20 World Cup
Team India clinched the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, with Pakistan finishing as the runners-up. All-rounder Shahid Afridi delivered an exceptional tournament, earning the Player of the Tournament award. Afridi participated in seven matches, taking 12 wickets and scoring 91 runs at an impressive strike rate of 197.82. His all-round contributions were vital in leading Pakistan to the final, although he was unable to secure victory for his team.
Tilakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) – 2009 T20 World Cup
Pakistan triumphed in the 2009 T20 World Cup under the leadership of Younis Khan, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan was in exceptional form, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer and becoming the first player to score over 300 runs in a single edition. Although he was dismissed for a duck in the final, Dilshan accumulated 317 runs at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 144. His remarkable performance throughout the tournament earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
Kevin Pietersen (England) – 2010 T20 World Cup
The third edition of the ICC T20 World Cup was held in the West Indies in 2010, where Paul Collingwood captained England to their first-ever ICC World Cup title by defeating Australia in the final. Craig Kieswetter made a significant contribution in the final, scoring 63 off 49 balls. However, it was Kevin Pietersen’s consistent performances throughout the tournament that were crucial to England’s success. Pietersen was named Player of the Tournament for amassing 248 runs in six innings, with an impressive average of 62 and a strike rate of 137.
Shane Watson (Australia) – 2012 T20 World Cup
In the ICC T20 World Cup 2012, Shane Watson made history by becoming the first player to be named Man of the Tournament despite his team not reaching the finals. Watson delivered a phenomenal performance, excelling with both bat and ball. Although Australia was eliminated in the semi-finals, he finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, amassing 249 runs in six innings at an average of 49 and a strike rate of 150. Additionally, he contributed significantly with the ball, taking 11 wickets throughout the tournament.
Virat Kohli (India) – 2014 T20 World Cup
The 2014 ICC T20 World Cup was held in Bangladesh, where India and Sri Lanka faced off in the final. Virat Kohli distinguished himself with an exceptional batting display, scoring the most runs in a single edition with a total of 319 runs at an average of 106 and a strike rate of 129, which included four half-centuries. Despite India’s loss in the final, Kohli’s remarkable contributions earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
Virat Kohli (India) – 2016 T20 World Cup
Virat Kohli made history by winning back-to-back Player of the Tournament awards at the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup held in India. Despite the team’s inconsistent performance, Kohli showcased remarkable consistency, scoring 273 runs in five innings at an average of 136.50 and a strike rate of 146.77, which included three half-centuries.
David Warner (Australia) – 2021 T20 World Cup
In the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup held in the UAE, Australia secured their first men’s title under the leadership of Aaron Finch. David Warner’s stellar performances, highlighted by crucial knocks in both the semi-final and final, earned him the Player of the Tournament award. He scored 289 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 146.70 throughout the tournament.
Sam Curran (England) – 2022 T20 World Cup
England clinched their second ICC T20 World Cup title in 2022, hosted in Australia. Sam Curran emerged as a standout performer with the ball, taking 13 wickets at an economy rate of 6.52, with a best performance of 5/10. His exceptional bowling earned him both the Man of the Tournament and Man of the Match awards in the final victory over Pakistan.
Jasprit Bumrah (India) – 2024 T20 World Cup
In T20 cricket, bowlers often take a backseat to batsmen regarding awards, but Jasprit Bumrah defied this trend in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. His exceptional bowling, which included taking 15 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 4.17, was instrumental in India’s title triumph. Notably, he delivered a crucial performance of 2/18 in the final, earning him the well-deserved Player of the Tournament award for his outstanding contributions.