Cricket in Numbers: Most POTM Awards for India in T20Is Will Surprise You

Getting the Player of the Match award in this format could be challenging, but there have been a few of them who have received it a number of times. With India standing at the top spot in the ICC rankings, it was possible with a few players who delivered consistent match-winning performances. In this blog, we will be taking a look at the players with the most Player of the Match awards for India in T20Is.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has been one of the finest T20I batsmen for the Indian team. Despite being retired from this format back in 2024, he still holds the record for winning the most Player of the Match awards in the T20I format. Even in his last T20I match for India, he won the Player of the Match award in the finals, scoring 76 runs in the finals.

Virat Kohli in T20Is:

• Innings: 117;
• Not Out: 31;
• Runs: 4188;
• Average: 48.69;
• Strike Rate: 137.04;
• 100s: 1;
• 50s: 38;
• POTM: 16.

In his T20I career, Virat Kohli has received an impressive total of 16 POTM awards, making him the player with the most awards in this format for India. Stepping out to bat at number three for the Indian team, his contributions have been vital to the team across several games. Also, he holds the record for the most runs in the T20 World Cup.

Even after his retirement, there have been Indian players who tried to reach close to Virat Kohli’s record. Whether India was playing in SENA countries or at home, Virat Kohli made sure to end the game in the team’s favour. He retired as the second-highest run scorer for India in the T20I format, cementing his legacy as a chase master.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav, the current Indian captain, also ties with Virat Kohli in this list. Making his debut in 2021, the Indian alien has received 16 Player of the Match awards in his career. This also puts him just one award away from overtaking Virat Kohli and taking the record solely to his name.

Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is:

• Innings: 89;
• Not Out: 14;
• Runs: 2754;
• Average: 36.72;
• Strike Rate: 164.41;
• 100s: 4;
• 50s: 21.

Although he missed out on this record in the T20I series against Australia, he will be eager to break it in the upcoming series at home. Being the skipper of the team, it has been a while since fans saw a big innings from him. But it should be noted that Suryakumar Yadav has been a crucial part of the Indian team in the T20 World Cups.

He has been a part of the team in three editions, helping the team to reach the semi-finals in 2022 and winning the trophy in 2024. Now, Suryakumar Yadav will be leading the team as the defending champions for the T20 World Cup 2026. His aggressive batting style either allows him to score well for the team or end up losing his wicket after some big hits.

Rohit Sharma

Another Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, is also has his name in the list. He used to open for the Indian team in the shortest format of the game and was widely regarded for his captaincy. Whether he led India in the ICC events or the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, he always ended up winning the trophies for his team, eventually setting an example of leading from the front.

Rohit Sharma in T20Is:

• Innings: 151;
• Not Out: 19;
• Runs: 4231;
• Average: 32.05;
• Strike Rate: 140.89;
• 100s: 5;
• 50s: 32.

This also helped Rohit Sharma to end his T20 career on a high note by winning the T20 World Cup for the team. In the list of most Man of the Match awards for the Indian team, Rohit Sharma also got his name in third position. He is the highest run scorer in this format for the team and has received an impressive total of 14 POTM awards in his career.

Rohit Sharma also holds a record of his success for the Indian team in the T20 World Cups. While his last POTM award came in the match against Afghanistan, where he scored 121 runs, his contributions have always been vital to the Indian team. Fans can never forget the 92-run knock played by the Hitman against Australia in the Super Eight stages of the T20 World Cup 2024.

Axar Patel

In a list where all the batsmen are present, there is an all-rounder too. And this is not Hardik Pandya, it is Axar Patel. Over the past few years, it has been consistent for him to contribute to the Indian team with both bat and ball. Whether it is taking the crucial wickets or playing as an anchor when the team has lost quick wickets, he is always there.

Axar Patel in T20Is (Batting):

• Innings: 50;
• Not Out: 18;
• Runs: 637;
• Average: 19.90;
• Strike Rate: 137.87;
• 100s: 0;
• 50s: 1.

The India tour of Australia came to be yet another turning point for the Indian all-rounder. He was able to dominate the Aussies’ batting line-up with his spin deliveries, which helped him to take quick wickets for the team. Eventually, this also helped Axar Patel to get to the fourth spot in this list, which was earlier held by Yuvraj Singh.

Axar Patel in T20Is (Bowling):

• Innings: 77;
• Overs: 243.1;
• Maidens: 3;
• Wickets: 79;
• Average: 22.32;
• Economy: 7.25.

Having one all-rounder being replaced by the other in this list shows that the Indian team is going in the right direction. In the fourth T20I match between India and Australia, Axar Patel first went on to score 21 runs for the Indian team. Later, he also took 2 wickets, which played a crucial role in restricting Australia during the chase.

Yuvraj Singh

One of the finest T20I batsmen for the Indian team, Yuvraj Singh, also has his name in this list. Coming to bat in the middle order, he has been the key to the team’s scoring in the death overs. Moreover, fans can never forget the time when he smashed six consecutive sixes against Stuart Broad in the T20 World Cup 2007. It should be noted that India went on to win the World Cup too.

Yuvraj Singh in T20Is (Batting):

• Innings: 51;
• Not Out: 9;
• Runs: 1177;
• Average: 28.02;
• Strike Rate: 136.38;
• 100s: 0;
• 50s: 8.

With this, he also got his name in the record of having the fastest fifty in the T20 World Cup, scoring off just 12 balls. In his T20I career, he was able to grab an impressive total of 7 POTM awards, contributing more to the team with the bat. His contributions came with the ball as well, with Yuvraj Singh being used as another bowling option for the team.

Yuvraj Singh in T20Is (Bowling):

• Innings: 31;
• Overs: 70.4;
• Maidens: 0;
• Wickets: 28;
• Average: 17.82;
• Economy: 7.06.

But it was his batting style that played an important role in India to win in games. His last Man of the Match award for the Indian team came in 2017, after which he eventually stopped playing for the country and retired from all formats of the game. Still, his aggressive batting style and taking wickets whenever the other bowlers struggled are some of the most memorable moments of his career.

Jasprit Bumrah

And finally, at the sixth spot, a bowler has made it to the list. India has seen several great bowlers in the T20 format, but none of them come close to Jasprit Bumrah when it comes to clutch situations. He has proven to be vital for the Indian team even in the shortest format of the game, having 6 POTM awards to his name.

Jasprit Bumrah in T20Is:

• Innings: 77;
• Overs: 281.4;
• Maidens: 12;
• Wickets: 99;
• Average: 18.11;
• Economy: 6.36.

This makes him the pacer with the highest number of POTM awards in the shortest format of the game. Although his number may be low compared to the other players, Bumrah’s contributions have always helped India restrict the opponent batsmen from scoring runs.

Despite missing out on action in the T20 format from the T20 World Cup 2024 till the Asia Cup 2025, no other player was able to take Bumrah’s place in this list. Along with that, it should also be noted that Jasprit Bumrah is the only bowler to have taken the Player of the Tournament award in the T20 World Cup. He did it for the Indian team in the 2024 T20 World Cup, when the team won the title.