Mohammad Rizwan and Virat Kohli (Source: @t20tracker, @ImTanujSingh/X.com)
Playing for your country is a big prestige, while gaining recognition and earning Player of the Match awards is another big milestone. Cricketers have often been able to gather some outstanding performances, while a few of them make a mark, especially in T20I cricket, where earning accolades is crucial.
Rizwan Features In The List With The Most POTM Awards In T20I Cricket
T20I cricket has long been leading the revolution for cricketers who have often led in the 20-over format, where run scoring needs to be at a quicker rate and the game moves much faster.
As per the record list, there have been plenty of players who feature in the T20I Player of the Match Awards list, having earned plenty of milestones during their careers.
At the top is a surprise inclusion, where the Malaysian player, Virandeep Singh, holds the record for most match awards, with 22 being awarded in 102 games, while Zimbabwe’s Sikander Raza is second with 18 awards in 111 games.
Interestingly, the third and fourth positions are occupied by India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli with six each in 83 and 125 games, respectively. Following the order are Mohammed Nabi and Rohit Sharma, with 14 each, while Sami Sohail and UAE's Muhammad Waseem have 13 to their name.
Now, the ninth position is actually shared among seven players, Uganda's Alphesh Ramjani, Dinesh Nakrani, and Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan, all of whom have 12 man-of-the-match awards in their careers. While they also share the record with the legendary David Warner, Shadab Khan, Glenn Maxwell, and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.
Rizwan Left Out, Despite Having An Excellent Record In T20Is
Pakistan's outstanding wicketkeeper, Mohammad Rizwan, has always led from the front for his side, playing 106 T20I matches and scoring 3,414 runs at an average of 47.41, with a decent strike rate of 125.37, while scoring 30 half-centuries and a century in his international T20 career.
However, despite having these skills and stats behind him, Rizwan has been left out of Pakistan's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, where he, alongside veteran Babar Azam, has been dropped for this multilateral event.
It will also be interesting to see if Rizwan ever makes a comeback to the shorter format for the Pakistan side, where youngsters are getting more opportunities in the lineup due to their intent.
Mohammad Rizwan and Virat Kohli (Source: @t20tracker, @ImTanujSingh/X.com)
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