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Top 5 Players With Man Of Match Awards In Losing ODI Cause

image-lmhgb65aDunith Wellalage picked five wickets and scored 42* runs vs India [X.com]

Winning and losing are part of any sport, however, individual performances deserve recognition irrespective of the result. 

In cricket, players are mostly celebrated for their show in triumphs. Rarely are they awarded for their captivating performances in defeats, which goes beyond wins or losses. There are several criteria for a player winning the 'Man of Match' award, which range from contribution in a win, unique skillset, and at times biases of the adjudicators.

Second only to winning international trophies, MoM awards are regarded highly in cricket, which stamps the distinction of players who put their all in the field across all departments — batting, bowling, and fielding. 


In this piece, we list down the Top 5 players with MoM awards in ODIs in a losing cause (In No Particular Order)

Dunith Wellalage 42* & 5 - 40 vs India

image-lmhhv0kwDunith Wellalage scored 42* against India [X.com]

A largely unknown commodity in international cricket, Sri Lankan spinner Dunith Wellalage blew India apart in the Asia Cup Super 4 encounter.

The Under-19 superstar, playing just his 13 ODI, toppled India's top-order, outfoxing players such as Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya to clinch a memorable five-wicket haul.

The 20-year-old then put on a resilient effort with the bat as well with Sri Lanka rolling in the deep at 99 for 6. Wellalage showed composure and aggression during his 46-ball stay, which sadly ended as Sri Lanka folded for 172 in pursuit of 214. 


Matthew Hayden 181* v New Zealand

image-lmhihh43Matthew Hayden scored an unbeaten 181* [X.com]

Known for blowing away the opposition, Australia's Matthew Hayden spared none during his iconic 181-run knock against New Zealand in 2007.  In peak form, Hayden anchored Australia's innings, with no other sizeable contributions apart from Shane Watson, who scored 68.

The Hamilton ODI witnessed Hayden exhibit a perfect blend of both aggressive and text-book cricket, scoring an unbeaten 181 off 166, which has 11 fours and 10 sixes. 

However, New Zealand with a whirlwind 117 from Craig McMillan and a short cameo from Brendon McCullum witnessed the Black Caps chase down Australia's mammoth 347-run target. 

Charles Coventry 194* v Bangladesh

image-lmhiyw6nCharles Coventry scored 194* against Bangladesh [X.com]

Zimbabwe Charles Coventry became an unlikely participant and scored the-then highest individual score in One-Day Internationals (ODI) in 2009. The former wicketkeeper-batter slammed an unbeaten 194* against Bangladesh and nearly managed to breach the 200-run mark as well at Bulawayo.

Batting first, Coventry singlehandedly took charge and hit Bangladesh bowlers all over the park, making a historic 194 off 156 laced with 16 fours and seven sixes. Zimbabwe ended up losing the match by four wickets after Tamim Iqbal produced a scintillating 154. 

Interestingly, both Coventry and Iqbal were handed MoM awards, and the former's 194 to date remains the highest individual score in ODIs in a losing cause.

Shane Bond 6 - 23 vs Australia

image-lmhj6rlvShane Bond rattled Australian batter with sheer pace [X.com]

Enough about the batters let's bring a bowler into the conversation, as New Zealand's Shane Bond instilled fear in one of the most formidable batting line-ups in world cricket during the 2000s.

In an era, where pace ruled the roost, Bond dismantled Australia's top-order during a 2003 World Cup encounter. The out-and-out fast bowler claimed a six-for against a mighty Australia, which includes wickets like Adam Gilchrist, Hayden, Rickt Ponting, Damien Martyn, Brad Hogg, and Ian Harvey, recording figures of 6 for 23 in 10.

New Zealand batters failed to chase down an under-par 208 and bundled out for 112.

Ricky Ponting 164 vs South Africa

image-lmhjq9xdRicky Ponting slammed 164 against South Africa [X.com]

Challenging Sachin Tendulkar's supremacy, Australia's Ricky Ponting owned batting charts in the 2000s. The 2003 World Cup-winning captain launched a merciless attack on South Africa's undercooked bowling line-up in the Johannesburg ODI in 2006.

With other batters also playing handy knocks, Ponting unleashed havoc and displayed brutal T20-like innings, scoring 164 off merely 105 balls, laced with 13 fours and nine monstrous sixes.  Ponting's 164 saw Australia breach the 400-run mark for the first time in ODI cricket, however, his knock was overshadowed by Herschelle Gibbs' 175, where South Africa chased down 435.