T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli, Shahid Afridi and other winners of Man of the Tournament award

The T20 World Cup 2022 is set to begin from October 16 and the elite tournament will be hosted by Australia, who are also the defending champions. This will be the eighth edition of the T20 World Cup as so far seven T20 World Cups have been played (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2021).

Over the years, some of the biggest superstars in the game have blazed brightest in T20 World Cups. Interestingly, India stalwart Virat Kohli is the only player in the world who has been adjourned the Man of the Tournament twice in T20 World Cups. Surprisingly, there hasn’t been any Player of the Tournament awardee from the two-time world champions, West Indies.

Here we take a look at each past winner of the Player of the Tournament awards in T20 World Cups:

Shahid Afridi (2007 T20 World Cup)

Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi earned the name ‘Boom Boom’ for his deadly abilities with the bat in hand. However, during the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa which was won by India, it was Afridi’s brilliant performances with the ball that made him lethal and eventually won him the Player of the Tournament award.

Shahid Afridi was the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, bagging 12 wickets at 15.66. His best performance came against Scotland, with figures of 4/19. Afridi also scored 91 runs in 7 matches, with a high score of 46.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (2009 T20 World Cup)

Former Sri Lanka batter Tillakaratne Dilshan was the most blistering batter during the 2009 T20 World Cup in England. Dilshan, who played as an opener, got Sri Lanka off to some dynamic starts, playing some fearless strokes. He ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer, with 317 runs in seven matches which came at a mindboggling 52.83 and a strike rate of 144.74.

Dilshan also smashed three half-centuries in the tournament, with his best score of 96* coming against West Indies in the semi-final.

Notably, Dilshan’s efforts helped Sri Lanka reach the final, where they lost to Pakistan.

Kevin Pietersen (2010 T20 World Cup)

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen scored the second-most runs in the tournament, piling up 248 at 62.00. He also smashed two fifties with the best score of 73* which came against Pakistan.

Moreover, Pietersen scored a crucial 47 in the summit clash of the tournament against Australia to help England win their maiden T20 World Cup.

Shane Watson (2012 T20 World Cup)

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson won the Player of the Tournament in 2012 edition of the T20 World Cup, where he ended up as the leading run-scorer and the second-highest wicket-taker. Watson scored 249 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 150. He also registered three half-centuries in the tournament. Moreover, Watson bagged 11 wickets at 16.00 and an economy of 6.83 with the best of 3/26.

Despite Watson’s brilliance, Australia could only manage to reach semifinals, where they were defeated by eventual champions West Indies.

Virat Kohli (2014 T20 World Cup)

The Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli was at his magnificent best during the 2014 edition of the tournament in Bangladesh. He scored 319 runs in only six matches at a blistering average of 106.33 and a strike rate of 129.14. Kohli also smashed four half-centuries in the tournament.

However, India failed to clinch their second T20 World Cup trophy as they were defeated by Sri Lanka in the final.

Virat Kohli (2016 T20 World Cup)

Virat Kohli became the first player in T20 WC history to win successive Man of the Tournament awards. He was the second-highest scorer in the tournament after Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal. Kohli scored 273 runs in five matches. He also smashed the most fours (29) in the tournament.

He scored three half-centuries, with knocks of an unbeaten 89 against West Indies and 82 not out against Australia being the highlights.

However, India could only make it to the semi-final stage, where they lost to eventual champions West Indies.

David Warner (2021 T20 World Cup)

No one would have guessed that Australia opener David Warner will win the Man of the Tournament in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE as he was struggling to score runs prior to the tournament. But Warner was back to his devastating best when it mattered the most as he scored 289 runs in seven matches to finish the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer after Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

Warner scored his runs at an average of 48.16 and a strike rate of 146.70, while also hitting three half-centuries in the tournament.

Even in the final, Warner scored a fifty to help Australia chase down 173-run target against New Zealand to lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6ngYQQSrEo

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