ODI World Cup Player of the Tournament List

In the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, the Player of the Tournament award has been given to the best-performed player in an edition of the ODI World Cup. It is one of the prestigious awards in the cricket world. 

Here, we are looking at all the Player of the Tournament awards in the ODI World Cup history.

Although the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup started in 1975, the first Player of the Tournament was awarded in the 1992 edition. 

Since the 1992 edition, every edition has received the Player of the Tournament award at the end of the tournament.  

ODI World Cup: Player of the Tournament awards

1992: Martin Crowe (New Zealand)

During the World Cup 1992, New Zealand captain Martin Crowe became the first player to win the Player of the Tournament award in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history. Co-hosts New Zealand finished as the Semi-finalists, where Crowe scored 456 runs with an average of 114.00, including one hundred and four half-centuries.

1996: Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)

Young Sanath Jayasuriya set up heroic all-round performances during Sri Lanka’s first ODI World Cup title win in the 1996 edition. The left-handed batter scored 221 runs (average 36.83; strike-rate 131.54) with two half-centuries, and the left-arm spinner took seven wickets.

1999: Lance Klusener (South Africa)

While South Africa were unlucky to end the Cricket World Cup 1999 as the Semi-finalists after a tied result against Australia, all-rounder Lance Klusener was awarded the Player of the Tournament. While the right-arm pacer took 17 wickets, including a five-wicket haul, the left-handed batter scored 281 runs with an average of 140.50 and strike-rate of 122.17, including two half-centuries.

2003: Sachin Tendulkar (India)

During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, while India finished as the runners-up, Sachin Tendulkar won the Player of the Tournament award. The right-handed batter scored 673 runs (average 61.18; strike-rate 89.25), where he hit one century and six half-centuries. Also, the right-arm spinner took two wickets.

2007: Glenn McGrath (Australia)

During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, when Australia won their fourth ODI World Cup trophy, including the third successive time, the right-arm pacer Glenn McGrath recorded 26 wickets with an average of 13.73. He took at least one wicket in every game of the tournament, while took three wickets in six out of 11 games.

2011: Yuvraj Singh (India)

India won their second ICC Cricket World Cup title in 2011, and the all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was one of the heroes. Apart from the left-arm spinner collecting 15 wickets, including a fifer, the left-handed middle-order batter scored 362 runs with an average of 90.50 and a strike rate of 86.19, including one century and four half-centuries.

2015: Mitchell Starc (Australia)

Australia won their fifth ICC Cricket World Cup title in the 2015 edition at home, and the left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc bagged 22 wickets in that competition, including one five-wicket haul (6/28) and one four-wicket haul. Although the left-handed batter came to bat thrice, he couldn’t score a run, including one unbeaten innings.

2019: Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

While New Zealand were the runners-up at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, the Black Caps captain Kane Williamson won the Player of the Tournament award. The right-handed batter scored 578 runs in that tournament with an average of 82.57. He scored two centuries and two half-centuries in that tournament. The right-arm off-spinner also picked up two wickets in that competition.

2023: Virat Kohli (India)

During the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, while India finished as the runners-up despite their dominant performances in the entire tournament, Virat Kohli won the Player of the Tournament award for scoring record-breaking runs 765 runs with an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31, including three centuries and six half-centuries. Kohli also took a wicket in the tournament.

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