MS Dhoni has played the most international matches (332) as captain, while Ricky Ponting has the most wins as captain (220). Here’s the list of players with the most matches played as captain.
Leadership plays an important role in the success of a team in any sport, including cricket, and getting to lead their country is arguably the most important achievement in a cricketer’s career. Ever since the first game of cricket back in the 19th century, we have witnessed some of the finest masterminds of the game, who, through their class and genius, captained their national teams to great heights. Even though the position is filled with pressure and responsibility, some players have fulfilled these duties with flying colors and have taken their teams to the next level. From MS Dhoni to Allan Border, here’s the list of players with the most matches played as captain.
Allan Border is regarded as one of the greatest Australian captains and batters of all time. He too scored more than 15,000 runs in an illustrious career spanning over 15 years. Border Played 271 matches while leading the Australian team.
Coming in at a time when Australian cricket was enduring a tough phase after Kim Hughes' resignation as skipper in 1984/85, Border led his team to glory in the 1987 World Cup, followed by Ashes success. Allan Border also holds the record for leading a side in the most consecutive Test matches (93) between December 1984 and March 1994.
Border also holds a record of being the only player in the history of the game to score 150 runs in each innings of a Test match, when he achieved the feat in the drawn third Test of the Australia tour of Pakistan 1979/80.
4# Graeme Smith | 286 Matches
Former South African opener Graeme Smith became the Proteas’ youngest-ever captain when he was given the role at the age of 22, with an experience of just eight Test matches. Smith played 289 matches as a captain and won 163 out of them.
Under his leadership, South Africa was recognized as one of the best touring teams. Smith holds the record of being the only captain to play over 100 Test matches and register the highest number of wins in Test matches as a captain with 53 victories.
The major highlights of Smith's glittering career are the two double centuries that he smashed in back-to-back Tests against England at Edgbaston and Lord’s during the South Africa Tour of England in 2003. His glory as captain came when he led the South Africa cricket team in 2008-2009 in Australia and added glitter to his name when they again won in the 2012-20 tour.
Stephen Fleming, the successful New Zealand captain, predominantly played his cricket in the pre-T20 era, especially when it comes to the international stage. Fleming led his team to their only ICC trophy at the Knockout Trophy in 2000. He also captained New Zealand to victory in their first-ever T20 international against Australia.
Fleming played 303 matches when he captained New Zealand including 80 Test matches, 218 ODIs, and 5 T20Is, a New Zealand record and the third highest ever. Out of 303 matches, he managed to win 128 matches, which is a whopping 42.24 percent.
Fleming also led from the front during his captaincy stint and scored over 5196 runs as captain in Test cricket while as ODI skipper, Fleming scored 6295 runs.
2# Ricky Ponting | 324 Matches
Former Australian cricket team captain Ricky Ponting is one of the most uncompromising cricket players in the world. He played 324 matches as a captain, winning 220 matches, which is a whopping 67.9 percent. Ponting led Australia to two consecutive 50-over World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007, in addition to twin Champions Trophy wins in 2006 and 2009.
Known for his aggression on the field, Ponting is the leading scorer in ODIs and Tests for Australia, scoring 10,000+ runs in each discipline. Moreover, he is the only player to win more than 100 Test matches.
After Steve Waugh, Ponting was clear on working and taking forward Steve's legacy, which was evident in his success rate and dominance. His wittiness and leadership skills were visible in both Test and ODI cricket.
MS Dhoni who is fondly called as captain cool by his fans and followers had a stellar record of most matches played as captain. Dhoni had a long span of career around 9 years to captain the team in all 3 formats. Even now Dhoni remains to be the only captain to win 3 different ICC events as captain. From showing his skill in pressure situations and Indian team domination in 2007/8 - 2011 WC would always be considered as great period for the Indian team.
MS Dhoni has captained Team India in 332 international games which is the most for any player. MS Dhoni is one of the best captains in the world, with an overall win percentage of 53.61 across formats, winning 178 of the 332 matches while leading his team.
Including the 3 ICC trophies, Dhoni also has won 5 other multi-tours as captain of Team India. Interestingly, under his leadership in 2009, Team India attained the best Test cricket ranking of No. 1 for the first time in their history.
Indian men's cricket team with seven ICC trophies are the second most successful team in men's cricket history. Australia with ten trophies lead the list of teams with the most ICC trophies.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) conducts different cricket events and tournaments throughout the year. ICC tournaments are the biggest platforms in the game of cricket, where the top teams contest against each other for championship podiums.
Contributing to the team on a big stage like this will always be remembered for a long time. The ODI World Cup is conducted once every four years, whereas the Men's T20 World Cup is played every two years. The ICC Champions Trophy is where only the top 8 teams compete in each finals tournament.
Last but not least, the World Test Championship is played over two years. This article thoroughly talks about the men's cricketing teams that have won ICC trophies at some point in time. Let's take a look at the teams with the most ICC Trophies.
Australia's sheer dominance over other cricketing teams is nothing new. For decades, Australia has been executing out-of-ordinary performances and winning trophies for the country. Out of all the cricketing countries, Australia has the most ICC trophies.
Till now the Aussies won 10 ICC trophies. Australia is the only team to win 6 ICC World Cups. The most successful team in the Cricket World Cup clinched the trophy in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, and 2023. Interestingly Australia made a record of being the only team to win the trophy in all the countries that hosted the World Cup.
Australia won the ICC Champions Trophy twice in 2006 and 2009 against West Indies and New Zealand respectively. Lastly, Australia lifted their first-ever ICC T20 World Cup trophy after defeating New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup. They claimed the ICC World Test Championship after defeating India at the Oval by a huge margin of 209 runs.
India sits in the second position on this prestigious list of most ICC Trophies by any team. India won their first-ever ICC World Cup in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. Later again 28 years, the men in blue won the World Cup for the second time under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2011.
The Indian men's cricket team also reached the semifinals four times in 1987, 1996, 2015, and 2019. Meantime, they lost in two finals in 2003 and 2023.
The men in blue won the Champions Trophy thrice. First, in 2002, both the finalists India and Sri Lanka were declared the co-champions of the 2002 Champions Trophy. In the 2013 edition, India defeated England by 5 runs and won the Champions Trophy for the second time in Birmingham. Their latest triumph came via Champions Trophy 2025, as they defeated New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai in the final.
Lastly, India won the inaugural edition of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 after defeating Pakistan in Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, India defeated South Africa by 7 runs to lift the trophy for the second time.
Next on this list is West Indies with a total of 5 ICC trophies. The first-ever ICC World Cup final was won by West Indies in 1975. West Indies once again continued their reign in the next edition of the World Cup as well, in 1979. The Caribbean team also won the Champions Trophy in 2004. Lastly, West Indies became the winner of the ICC T20 World Cup twice; once against Sri Lanka in 2012 and the other time against England in 2016.
England | 3
England team after winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022. Image- ICC
Till 2010, the England team has not had any ICC Tournament. But, it was in 2010, when they won their first ICC T20 World Cup against arch-rival Australia. Craig Kieswetter guided them home in the final for their first-ever ICC Trophy. Post that, they have been a phenomenal white-ball team and won two ICC World Cups since then.
In 2019, they won their first ICC Men's ODI World Cup as Ben Stokes made all the difference in the final against England in a match where boundary count helped England to win the World Cup.
England's latest ICC Trophy triumph came under Jos Buttler as they became the first-ever team in Cricket history to hold the ODI and T20 World Cup at the same time. Jos Buttler and company won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 as Sam Curran won the player of the tournament after taking 13 wickets with the ball. Curran also was the player of the match in the final as well.
Pakistan | 3
Pakistan sits in the fourth position on the list of most ICC Trophy wins by any team with 3 ICC trophies. The first-ever ICC trophy won by Pakistan was during the 1992 cricket World Cup. Pakistan defeated England in the final and won by 22 runs.
The next ICC trophy won by Pakistan was in the 2009 T20 World Cup where they beat Sri Lanka in the final and won the title by 8 wickets. The most recent and last ICC win of Pakistan is the 2017 Champions Trophy where they defeated India by 180 runs.
With 3 ICC trophies, Sri Lanka sits in 5th position on this list. Sri Lanka won their first-ever ICC World Cup in 1996 where they played against Australia in the final hosted in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. They went ahead to win their next ICC trophy in the 2002 Champions Trophy. The winner of the tournament is actually both India and Sri Lanka as both the finalist teams were declared as co-champions.
The last time Sri Lanka won an ICC Trophy was when they defeated India in the 2014 T20 World Cup hosted in Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Dhaka.
The New Zealand cricket team has won a total of 2 ICC trophies since they started competing in tournaments conducted by ICC. The Kiwis won their first-ever ICC Trophy in the 2000 Champions Trophy. Nairobi hosted the final of New Zealand vs India where New Zealand won the match by 4 wickets.
The next ICC Trophy won by the Kiwis was the ICC World Test Championship. Once again, New Zealand played against India in the final of an ICC event and clinched the trophy in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final.
South Africa have broken the jinx and finally won an ICC trophy after 27 years, only their second ICC title after beating Australia by five wickets at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground to become World Test champions. Chasing 282 runs to win, Aiden Markram registered his eighth Test century and played one of the most important knocks of his career with 136 runs to guide the Proteas to a historic win.
Meanwhile, in the 1998 ICC Champions Trophy hosted in Bangladesh, South Africa beat West Indies in the final to win their first ICC title. Jacques Kallis was exceptional and contributed the most to the team reaching and winning the final and was awarded the player of the tournament. He hit a century and picked up a five-wicket haul as well.
Note: The stats include shared trophies. The article was first written by Shreya Ghosh and then got edited by Abishek Goswami.
Till now, 11 Indian cricketers have been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Former Indian captain and legend MS Dhoni became the latest Indian to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame list.
Along with MS Dhoni, Aussie great Matthew Hayden, South African legend Hashim Amla, former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Kiwi leader Daniel Vettori, and former Pakistan captain Sana Mir and English legend Sarah Taylor were also inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame 2025.
India's 2011 World Cup winning squad: Where are they now?
From playing careers to coaching, commentary, and other ventures, where are the 2011 WC winning heroes? Explore the present status of India's 2011 World Cup winning squad and where are they now, 14 years after historic victory.
It's been 14 years since India lifted the 2011 World Cup, a moment etched in every fan's memory. That legendary squad brought joy to millions on that unforgettable night in Mumbai, but where are they now?
While many retired, some explored new paths in cricket, and others found different callings, one key player continues to represent India in ODIs.
Explore the current status of India's 2011 World Cup winning squad and know their journeys since the victory and where are they now.
The unforgettable 2011 World Cup Winning squad
India's 2011 World Cup winning squad members. Image | sportzpoint.com
Here's the overview of squad members:
MS Dhoni (C & WK), Virender Sehwag (VC), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin.
Coach: Gary Kirsten
Find out the updates on each one of them below:
1. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni with the World Cup in 2011. Image | SportsCafe
MS Dhoni is the winning captain of 2011 World Cup, who finished off in style with a six to seal the victory for India. He also led India to victory in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, becoming the first captain to claim all ICC limited-overs trophies.
He continued to captain India for several years and played a crucial role as a finisher in white-ball cricket. He also led CSK to win four IPL titles from 2011-2023.
Retirement: Dhoni retired from test cricket in December 2014, and announced his retirement from international cricket (ODIs and T20Is) on August 15, 2020. However, he continues to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Currently doing: Continues to captain Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. He is involved in various business ventures and endorsements.
Virender Sehwag with the World Cup in 2011. Image | TOI
Virender Sehwag was the vice-captain of India's 2011 WC-winning squad and provided explosive starts at the top of the order, including a stunning knock of 175 runs against Bangladesh in the opening match.
He continued his attacking batting in Test and ODI formats for a few more years.
Retirement: Sehwag retired from all forms of international cricket in October 2015.
Currently doing: He is a prominent cricket analyst and commentator, and a member of the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel of the National Anti-Doping Agency under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. He also runs the Sehwag International School in Haryana and has ventured into the sports gear and organic farming business.
3. Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir in World Cup final against Sri Lanka in 2011. Image | Facebook
Gautam Gambhir was an integral part of India's success in the 2011 WC, especially with his knock of 97 runs in the final. He continued to play a key role in India's top order for a period. He also led Kolkata Knight Riders to 2 IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.
Later, he served as a mentor for Lucknow Super Giants and then KKR, guiding them to their third title in 2024.
Retirement: Announced retirement from all formats in December 2018.
Currently doing: In July 2024, Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of India for three years until the 2027 ODI World Cup. He got his first major ICC title in a coaching role by leading India to victory in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy as the head coach.
4. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar after the World Cup win in 2011. Image | DNA India
Sachin Tendulkar was the leading run-scorer for India and the second overall in the tournament (482 runs in 9 innings), including two centuries.
He scored his record-setting 100th international century in March 2012 and became a member of the Rajya Sabha in the same year. Additionally, he was a part of Mumbai Indians team that won the IPL in 2013.
Retirement: Retired from ODI cricket in December 2012, and from tests in November 2013. He also retired from the IPL in 2013.
Currently doing: Sachin continues to be involved in cricketing and social initiatives, and remains a global ambassador for the sport.
Yuvraj Singh after the World Cup win in 2011. Image | India Today
The "Player of the tournament," Yuvraj Singh, delivered an exceptional all-rounder performance throughout the World Cup. He successfully battled germ-cell cancer in 2011 and returned to cricket the next year (2012).
Yuvraj continued to play white ball cricket for India occasionally and played in various IPL teams, winning twice with SRH in 2016 and MI in 2019.
Retirement: Formally retired from international cricket in June 2019.
Currently doing: He is involved in various cricketing leagues and charitable initiatives. He also mentored India's emerging star, Abhishek Sharma, and has a significant role in shaping his career.
6. Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina in action for India in 2011 World Cup. Image | Instagram
Suresh Raina played an attacking role in the lower middle order, particularly in the quarter-final against Australia (unbeaten 34), and the semi-final against Pakistan (unbeaten 36).
He continued to be a significant part of India's white-ball setup for several years and was a key player for CSK in the IPL.
Retirement: Announced retirement from all forms on August 15, 2020, on the same day as Dhoni. However, he continued to play domestic cricket and in various T20 leagues for a period.
Currently doing: Raina has been involved in commentary and various cricket-related activities.
7. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli after the 2011 World Cup win. Image | AI Jazeera
As the youngest batsman in the squad (22 years 95 days), Virat Kohli showed glimpses of his future greatness by performing well in the 2011 World Cup, including a century against Bangladesh.
Kohli rose to be one of the world's premier batsmen and captained India across all formats. He became the most successful test captain in history for India. He led India to numerous victories and broke several batting records.
He is the only player from India's 2011 World Cup-winning squad who is still actively playing international cricket (ODI format).
Retirement: He retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup in 2024, and also retired from Test Cricket in 2025.
Currently doing: He won the IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 and had a phenomenal season. He is also expected to play in the 2027 World Cup.
Yusuf Pathan with the WC trophy in 2011. Image | Twitter
Yusuf Pathan was a part of India's World Cup-winning squad in 2011 and played as a batting all-rounder, primarily in the lower middle order. He continued to play in domestic cricket and the IPL, playing for various franchises, including KKR and SRH.
Pathan was also a part of India's 2007 T20 World Cup winning squad.
Retirement: Retired from all formats in February 2021.
Currently doing: He became a member of parliament from the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal, and has been seen participating in the Legends League Cricket.
9. Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan holding the WC trophy in the final in 2011. Image | Getty Images
The shepherd of India's pace attack, Zaheer Khan, was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup with 21 wickets in 9 matches. His contributions to the bowling unit were phenomenal.
He continued to represent India in internationals for a few more years.
Retirement: Khan retired from international cricket in October 2015.
Currently doing: He has been involved in commentary and coaching roles. He is also a cricket expert and analyst.
10. Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh celebrating the 2011 World Cup Win. Image | Sportstar
Harbhajan Singh proved to be crucial for the team in the WC 2011, with the kind of experience he had in the game. He continued to play for India occasionally after the World Cup, but his international appearances became less frequent.
He continued to play IPL for franchises like MI, CSK and KKR.
Retirement: Retired from all formats in December 2021.
Currently doing: He is a cricket commentator and an analyst. He has also ventured into politics, serving as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha.
Ashish Nehra in 2011 World Cup. Image | TV9 Bharatvarsh
Ashish Nehra played three matches in the 2011 World Cup and was particularly effective in the semi-final against Pakistan, where he took 2 wickets for 33 runs.
He faced injuries but made a remarkable comeback to the Indian T20I team and played the T20 World Cup that year.
Retirement: Nehra retired from all forms of international cricket in November 2017.
Currently doing: He has been involved in coaching in the IPL (head coach: Gujarat Titans) and won the 2022 season.
12. Munaf Patel
Munaf Patel in 2011 World Cup. Image | IBTimes India
Munaf Patel played a significant role as a consistent medium-pacer in the 2011 WC winning squad, picking 11 wickets in 8 matches. He continued to play domestic cricket and in various T20 leagues after the World Cup.
Retirement: He retired from all formats in December 2018.
Currently doing: Served as the bowling coach for Delhi Capitals since the 2024 season and has been seen participating in Legends League Cricket.
13. S Sreesanth
Sreesanth in 2011 World Cup. Image | Circle of Cricket
S Sreesanth came in as a replacement for Praveen Kumar (ruled out due to injury) in India's 2011 WC squad. He played 2 matches, including the final.
His career was significantly impacted by a spot-fixing scandal in the 2013 IPL, which led to a ban from cricket.
Retirement: He made a comeback in domestic cricket after the ban was reduced, and retired from all domestic forms in March 2022.
Currently doing: Sreesanth is the co-owner of the Kollam Aeries team in the Kerala Cricket League. He also participated in reality shows like Big Boss and was involved in acting and other ventures.
14. Piyush Chawla
Piyush Chawla in 2011 World Cup. Image | Instagram
The youngest player in India's 2011 World Cup winning squad, Piyush Chawla (22 yrs 46 days), picked 4 wickets in the three matches he played. He continued to play domestic cricket and IPL for various franchises and won.
Retirement: Chawla announced from all forms of cricket in June 2025. His last international appearance for India was in 2012.
Currently doing: He has been associated with the sport as an analyst and was seen giving inputs in per-match shows in IPL and other leagues.
Ravichandran Ashwin in 2011 World Cup. Image | The SportsRush
The spin master, Ravichandran Ashwin, played only 2 matches in the tournament, picking up 4 wickets. He turned out to be one of the most successful Test bowlers for India, with 537 Test wickets.
Ashwin later developed into a useful all-rounder and could bat well. He was also named ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2016.
Retirement: Announced retirement from international cricket in December 2024.
Currently doing: He is actively involved in playing cricket in IPL and played in the TNPL as well. Ashwin is also an active YouTuber, who analyses and shares cricketing stories on his channel, which currently has 1.71M subscribers.
Shreyas Iyer's stunning 87* runs against MI in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 puts him at the forefront of most 50+ scores as a captain in IPL playoffs. Explore the complete list and key performances!
In a crucial stage like IPL playoffs, captains are expected to not only lead their team but also deliver crucial performances. The ability to score big when the team need you the most sets certain leaders apart.
We bring you the most 50+ scoresas a captain in IPL playoffs. See how Shreyas Iyer is leading this elite group with being the exceptional captain that he is.
1. Shreyas Iyer (3 times) | DC, KKR, PBKS
Shreyas Iyer during his unbeaten 87 vs MI in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2. Image | Instagram
Shreyas Iyer has swiftly risen as a captain who performs under pressure in IPL playoffs. He holds an exceptional record of being the only captain to lead 3 different franchises to the final (Delhi Capitals in 2020, Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, and Punjab Kings in 2025).
He has also delivered 50+ scores thrice for his team in IPL playoffs. Here's a breakdown of that:
65* vs MI (Final, IPL 2020): An unbeaten 65* off 50 balls in the vital match while captaining DC, which came off when the team's top-order collapsed early. Despite their defeat in that match, Iyer's knock helped them reach a hopeful total.
58* vs SRH (Qualifier 1, IPL 2024): A captain's knock of 58* runs (from 24 balls) that set the tone for KKR's successful victory in the Q1 and led them into the finals.
87* vs MI (Qualifier 2, IPL2025): From handling Bumrah's brilliant yorkers and turning them into boundaries, to keeping the asking rate down with towering sixes, this man has done it all in this match under pressure! Iyer's 87* off 41 balls (featuring five 4s and eight 6s) took PBKS to the final after 11 long years.
Rohit Sharma hitting a six against DC in IPL 2020 Final. Image | NDTV
The five-time IPL winning captain, Rohit Sharma, holds a place with his 2 times delivering 50+ scores as a captain in IPL playoffs, playing for Mumbai Indians.
He scored both of them in Finals, contributing to MI's title-winning years. Here's a breakdown of that:
50 vs CSK (Final, IPL 2015): Helped MI set a strong total with his 50 runs off just 26 balls, showcasing his leadership in the team's title-winning efforts for the 2nd time in IPL.
68 vs DC (Final, IPL 2020): Played a captain's knock of 68 runs (from 51 balls) to control the chase and secure their 5th IPL title.
3. MS Dhoni (2 times) | CSK
Dhoni in action against DC in IPL 2012 Qualifier 2. Image | NDTV
One of the most successful captains in IPL history, MS Dhoni has played a significant role with the bat along with wicket-keeping and strategising overall. He scored 50+ knocks 2times as a captain in IPL playoffs for Chennai Super Kings.
He scored both of them against MI, in different IPL seasons. Here's a breakdown of that:
51* vs MI (Eliminator, IPL 2012): Dhoni's explosive knock of 51* runs from just 20 balls helped CSK post a competitive total which eventually converted to a victory.
63* vs MI (Final, IPL 2013): In a hard-fought final against MI, his unbeaten 63 off 45 balls kept the hopes alive for CSK, but fell short of 23 runs in the end.
David Warner celebrating after his match-winning 93 against GL in IPL 2016 Qualifier 2. Image | Instagram
David Warner was a dominant force at the top of the order for Sunrisers Hyderabad and an equally good captain. He delivered many impactful performances throughout, along with 50+ scores 2 times in playoffs.
He scored both of them in IPL 2016, the season when SRH became champions. Here's a breakdown of that:
93* vs GL (Qualifier 2, IPL 2016): A sensational match-winning knock of 93* runs off 58 balls when the team needed it the most. He single-handedly chased down and took the match out of a poor situation, securing the win.
69 vs RCB (Final, IPL 2016): A classy knock in the final of the same season, where his explosive 69 runs (off 38 balls) helped SRH set 208 runs on board. They successfully defended and lifted their maiden IPL title by winning that match.
AB de Villiers has the record for winning the most P.O.T. awards in IPL history. Among Indians, Rohit Sharma has won the most player of the match awards in the tournament.
While team victories are the ultimate goal in IPL, the 'Player of the Match' (P.O.T.M) award is the direct recognition of a player's game-changing performance.
Winning P.O.T.M a couple of times shows how a player has outshined the rest and truly dominated the game. We will now explore the players with most P.O.T.M awards in IPL.
Keep an eye out, as Rohit Sharma is remarkably close to reaching the top.
1. AB de Villiers (25 P.O.T.M Awards)
AB de Villiers holding his M.O.M for RCB in a match in IPL 2021. Image | Firstpost
The "Mr. 360" of cricket, AB de Villiers, holds the most P.O.T.M awards in IPL history with 25awards throughout his career with DC and primarily Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Whether it was fast paced fifties or scorching hundreds, his impact was undeniable. His IPL career spanned from 2008-2021, and yet no one could match his numbers in terms of Player of the match awards.
Chris Gayle receiving the P.O.T.M award for his spectacular knock of 175 runs off 66 balls in IPL 2013. Image | BBC
Whether it's the list of most sixes in IPL or highest individual scores, this West Indies legend always finds his spot in the top for all of them. Chris Gayle has the second-most P.O.T.M awards in IPL with 22awards in total.
He played for franchises like KKR, PBKS, and RCB, and won multiple awards at his prime years like 2011 (smashed 2 centuries), 2012 (claimed the Orange Cap) and of course, 2013, where he scored the monumental 175* against PWI.
3. Rohit Sharma (21 P.O.T.M Awards)
Rohit Sharma receiving the P.O.T.M award for his performance against GT in Eliminator of IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
Rohit Sharma is the Indian player with most P.O.T.M awards in IPL and the third-highest in this list. He received 21 awards and is just an award away to equal Gayle's number.
Sharma received 2 P.O.T.M awards in IPL 2025; one for his 75* (45 balls) against CSK in league stage, and the other for his 81 runs off 50 balls against GT in IPL Eliminator.
As Mumbai Indians are set to play the Qualifier 2 this season, there's high chances of Rohit bagging another one (or maybe 2).
Virat Kohli receiving Super Striker of the match award along with P.O.T.M award in IPL 2021. Image | Twitter
One of the most consistent run-scorer and match-winner for RCB, Virat Kohli stands fourth with an impressive 19 P.O.T.M awards in IPL. He is like the heart of the team and doesn't need awards to measure his greatness.
Kohli has won a P.O.T.M award in IPL 2025 for his unbeaten 73 runs against Punjab Kings. He has scored 8 half-centuries so far this season and there might be another loading as RCB is set to play the Final.
Kohli received multiple P.O.T.M awards during the 2016 season where he scored the record-breaking 973 runs.
David Warner receiving a P.O.T.M Award in IPL 2022. Image | Instagram
The Australian legend, David Warner, had an incredible journey in IPL. He was the key player of every franchise that he represented, such as Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He won 18 P.O.T.M awards in IPL.
He has also been a three-times orange cap winner (2015, 2017, 2019), which tells a lot about his career peak in IPL and the shower of P.O.T.M awards in those years.
6. MS Dhoni (18 P.O.T.M Awards)
MS Dhoni receiving the P.O.T.M award for his performance against LSG in IPL 2025. Image | NDTV
The five-time IPL winning captain, MS Dhoni, equals the number of P.O.T.M awards as Warner with 18 awards in IPL. His unparallel impact, captaincy, and match finishing abilities has earned him this high count of awards.
In IPL 2025, Dhoni won the P.O.T.M award by delivering a match-winning knock of 26* runs off just 11 balls against LSG, which also made him the oldest player to win a P.O.T.M award in IPL history, at the age of 43 years and 280 days.