Top Five Players with the Most Man of the Match Awards in ODI Cricket

Often hailed as the “gentleman’s game”, cricket has always been one of the most popular sports in the world since its inception. With billions of hardcore fans and supporters around the world, international cricketers enjoy immense fame and recognition for all their match-winning innings across different international cricket formats. 

Although the history of cricket has witnessed an incredible growth of these iconic cricketers who have continued to dominate their opponents even under the most challenging situations on the field, a few of them have undeniably established themselves as the cornerstone of international cricket and have clinched the highest number of “Man of the Match” award in their star-studded cricketing careers. Without much ado, let’s explore the annals of glory and pride in international cricket. 

In this article, we will take a look at the top five legendary international cricketers who have clinched the most “Man of the Match” awards in their ODI careers. 

• Sachin Tendulkar, India – 62

Often hailed as the “God of Indian cricket”, former Indian legendary international cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar is at the first spot in our list of the top five legendary international cricketers who have clinched the most “Man of the Match” awards in their ODI careers. 

Sachin Tendulkar represented India in the ODI cricket format for twenty-three long years, from 1989 to 2012, in a total of 463 matches. The Master-Blaster played his career’s last ODI match against Pakistan on 18th March 2012 and delivered a sensational innings of 52* runs. Sachin Tendulkar pulled down the curtain on his star-studded ODI career with a total of 49 tons and 96 half-tons. Sachin Tendulkar received the most coveted “Man of the Match” award for a record total of 62 times throughout his entire ODI career. 

• Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka – 48

The former legendary international cricketer who continued to be a mainstay for the Sri Lankan cricket squad in the ODI format from 1989 to 2011, Sanath Jayasuriya, is at the second spot in our list of legendary international cricketers who have clinched the most “Man of the Match” awards in their ODI careers.

During his glorious ODI career that spanned over two decades, Sanath Jayasuriya appeared in a total of 445 matches and amassed a record total of 13,430* ODI runs. In addition to scoring a phenomenal total of 28 centuries and 68 half-centuries, the legendary Sri Lankan international cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya also holds the record for smashing the highest number of sixes in the ODI format, i.e. 270, and has been awarded the second-highest total of the “man of the match” award i.e. 48 in his entire ODI cricket career.

• Virat Kohli, India – 41

Another legendary Indian international cricketer, Virat Kohli, is at the third spot in our list of top five legendary international cricketers who have clinched the most “Man of the Match” awards in their ODI careers. Well, there’s no denial of the fact that the One-Day International format has always been a zone of unleashing his best on-field potential for King Kohli. 

Virat Kohli made his ODI debut for the Indian cricket team against Sri Lanka in 2008 and has been a mainstay for the “men in blue” squad in the ODI format ever since. As of September 2024, Virat Kohli has appeared in a total of 295 ODI matches, has amassed a record total of 13,906* ODI runs and has been honored with the “Man of the Match” award for a total of 41 times for all his ODI innings so far. 

• Jacques Kallis, South Africa – 32 

Next, at the fourth spot in our list of top five legendary international cricketers who have clinched the most “Man of the Match” awards in their ODI careers, we have former South African international cricketer Jacques Kallis, who is still hailed as one of the greatest all-rounders of all-time in the history of South Africa.

Jacques Kallis made his ODI breakthrough against England in 1996 and continued to be a dominating force in the South African batting unit till he played his career’s last ODI match against Sri Lanka in 2014. In his extremely glorious ODI career that spanned over eighteen years, Jacques Kallis appeared in a total of 328 ODI matches and amassed a brilliant total of 11,579* ODI runs. Jacques Kallis has been awarded with the “Man of the Match” award for a total of 32 times in his ODI cricket career.

• Brian Lara, West Indies – 31

Often hailed as the greatest batsmen of all-time, West Indies former international cricketer Brian Lara is at the fifth spot in our list of top five legendary international cricketers who have won the most “Man of the Match” awards in their ODI career. 

With a total of 10,405* runs scored in his entire ODI career that lasted from 1990 to 2007, Brian Lara has been acknowledged for his numerous match-winning innings for the West Indies, including the 169* run innings against Sri Lanka in 1995 and the infamous 117* runs innings against Bangladesh in 1999 where he scored the fifth-fastest century in the history of ODI cricket in a total of 45 deliveries. Brian Lara has been honored with the “Man of the Match” award a total of 31 times in his entire ODI career.

Also Read: England Batters With 5 Fastest Test Hundreds