- Stokes, Afghan, Porterfield significantly contributed without a T20I POTM.
5 Top Cricketers Who Never Won POTM In T20Is: T20 International cricket is a fast-paced format where a single over or a quick-fire cameo can change the game. Because of this high-intensity nature, it is quite common to see players win the ‘Player of the Match’ (POTM) award for just a brief, impactful performance. However, cricket can be a game of great ironies.
There are several legendary cricketers who played for years, won trophies, and led their countries to historic victories, yet they wrapped up their T20I careers without winning a single Player of the Match award. Here is a look at five such icons.
1. MS Dhoni (India)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers and captains in cricket history. Under his leadership, India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Dhoni featured in 98 T20Is for India, scoring 1,617 runs and pulling off countless brilliant dismissals behind the stumps. Despite hitting numerous winning runs and finishing close games, Dhoni usually played lower down the order, which meant top-order batsmen often walked away with the individual honors. Shockingly, he retired without a single T20I POTM trophy.
2. Dinesh Ramdin (West Indies)
Dinesh Ramdin was a crucial pillar of the dominant West Indies T20 era. He played 71 T20Is between 2006 and 2019 and was an active member of the squads that won the T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2016. Winning two World Cups is a dream for any cricketer, but Ramdin’s primary job was keeping wickets and stabilizing the lower order. Because big hitters like Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels stole the spotlight, Ramdin never got a POTM award.
3. Ben Stokes (England)
Ben Stokes is famous for being England’s ultimate big-match player, having single-handedly won them the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup final. Yet, his overall T20I numbers tell a quieter story. In 43 T20Is, Stokes scored 585 runs and took 26 wickets. Because he was often rested for bilateral T20I series to manage his workload, he never managed to secure an individual Player of the Match award in this specific format.
4. Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan)
Asghar Afghan is a legendary figure in Afghanistan cricket, known for leading his country through its transition into a major cricketing nation. In fact, he is one of the most successful T20I captains ever, winning 42 out of the 52 matches he captained. He played 75 T20Is in total, anchoring the middle order. While his leadership was world-class, his individual performances were often overshadowed by explosive teammates like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, leaving him without a POTM award.
5. William Porterfield (Ireland)
William Porterfield is a pioneer of Irish cricket. As an opening batsman and a long-time captain, he laid the foundation for Ireland’s rise in international cricket. Porterfield played 61 T20Is between 2008 and 2018, scoring 1,079 runs. Even though he led his team from the front for a decade, he never quite had that one explosive, match-winning performance that stood out enough to earn him the individual accolade.
