In a cricket match, Rohit Sharma receives the Player of the Match (POTM) award, which is an honorable acknowledgment of an exceptional performance that made a difference.
The Player of the Match grant can be won by a hitter, bowler, or an all-rounder, and it’s excessive that the honor ought to be given to somebody from the case, Punjab Rulers (PBKS) captain Shikhar Dhawan was as of late granted the POTM grant for his unbeaten 99 against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) regardless of Punjab being on the horrible side.
The BCCI secures lucrative sponsorship deals each season, making the POTM award in the Indian Premier League (IPL) financially rewarding.
Let’s take a look at the top five players in IPL history who have won the most Player of the Match awards.
#5 MS Dhoni – 17
The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman has led the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to four IPL titles and has made numerous notable contributions to the team’s rise to prominence. MS Dhoni is well-known for appearing out of nowhere to provide the finishing touches.
Dhoni has won 17 Player of the Match grants in 237 IPL matches such a long way for CSK and the now-outdated Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS). His last POTM award came in IPL 2019 against the Delhi Capitals (DC), so he hasn’t won it in three seasons.
#4 David Warner – 18
David Warner has scored 6090 runs in 166 matches at a strike rate of 139.61, making him the third-highest run scorer in the IPL. The Australian is regarded as a destructive opener who is also capable of serving as the innings’ anchor.
Warner has contributed to the victories of Delhi Capitals and SunRisers Hyderabad on his own with a number of outstanding innings. In his glittering IPL career, he has won the Orange Cap three times and won 18 POTM awards.
When the DC batter scored 92 runs against his former IPL team SRH last season, he won his final Player of the Match award.
#3 Rohit Sharma – 19
Rohit Sharma won the Player of the Match award during the Delhi Capitals vs. The Mumbai captain contributed to his team’s pursuit of a 173-run total by scoring 65 runs off 45 balls.
It was Rohit’s nineteenth POTM grant in the IPL, outperforming his Delhi Capitals partner David Warner in winning the award most times among dynamic cricketers.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL) of 2009, Rohit won his first POTM award for his all-around excellence against the Mumbai Indians. For the now-defunct Deccan Chargers, he scored the most runs (38) and scored a hat trick to achieve his best IPL bowling total of 4/6.
#2 Chris Gayle – 22
With his brutal batting style, Chris Gayle defeated several formidable bowling attacks. The sassy West Indies batsman played in the IPL for 13 seasons for three different teams and currently holds the record for scoring the most centuries (six) in the lucrative league.
It is interesting to note that Gayle has won the Player of the Match award in each of the six times he has scored at least three goals, including the incredible 175 points he scored in IPL 2013 against the now-defunct Pune Warriors. From 142 IPL games, Gayle has won 22 POTMs.
Gayle’s last POTM grant came in IPL 2020 for his 51-run thump against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Sharjah.
#1 AB de Villiers – 25
The South African legend has won the most Player of the Match awards in the history of the Indian Premier League. Under Virender Sehwag, he began his IPL career with the Delhi Daredevils, which are now the Delhi Capitals. However, during his time with Royal Challengers Bangalore, the versatile batter established himself as a great IPL player.
AB de Villiers finished his IPL career with 25 POTM awards after scoring numerous match-winning runs for Delhi and RCB. With his 42-ball 75, he scored the final goal in IPL 2021 against Delhi Capitals.
In 170 IPL innings, De Villiers scored 5162 runs, including 40 fifties and three centuries, at a strike rate of 151.69.