Virat Kohli’s remarkable T20I journey: 16 POTM awards, from his debut to World Cup final triumph!

Virat Kohli, with an impressive 16 awards from his 125 matches, showcasing his consistent impact on the game. Following closely are Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Sikandar Raza, each recognized for their exceptional contributions with 15 and 14 awards respectively, highlighting their pivotal roles in their respective teams successes.

Kohli, known for rising to big occasions, always delivered when it mattered most in T20 World Cups. Across 6 tournaments, he amassed a record 1292 runs in 35 matches.

His T20 World Cup journey began in 2012, but it was the 2014 edition where Kohli truly shone, carrying India to the final with standout performances. Despite a heartbreaking loss to Sri Lanka in the final, he impressed with 319 runs in 6 matches, showcasing his fearless yet effective batting style.

Kohli’s T20 World Cup legacy: from breakthroughs to heartbreaks

Longevity 🤝 Virat Kohli

Player of the Match in his FIRST and LAST #T20WorldCup game 🤩 pic.twitter.com/bLTQetZH9Y

— ICC (@ICC) June 30, 2024

From 2014 to 2016, Kohli’s stature and performances grew. In the 2016 tournament held in India, he played pivotal roles in knockout matches against top teams like Australia and South Africa, leading India to the semi-finals. Despite scoring 89 crucial runs in the semi-final against West Indies, India fell short, but Kohli’s brilliance earned him the Player of the Tournament award for his 273 runs in 5 matches.

Before the 2024 T20 World Cup final, Kohli faced criticism for his form but silenced doubters with a match-winning 76 off 59 balls against South Africa. Despite India losing early wickets, Kohli anchored the innings superbly, showcasing his class and determination in his final T20I match.

Finishing his T20I career with 4,188 runs from 125 matches at a strike rate of 137, Kohli leaves as the format’s second-highest run-scorer in international cricket, trailing only Indian captain Rohit Sharma.

List of players with most POTM awards in T20I

Player	POTM Awards	T20I Matches
Virat Kohli	16	125
Suryakumar Yadav	15	68
Rohit Sharma	14	159
Sikandar Raza	14	86

Twitter reactions:

The backbone of India's success 🏆#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/RuAPeRRMtl

— ICC (@ICC) June 30, 2024

Started his T20I career with a POTM award & that is how he's ending it, with a POTM award. Couldn't have been a higher note than this. Life really comes full circle🥹 His retirement is a tough one to digest as a fan, but my heart is so full right now😭💙. #INDvSA #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/N2ogklEP5O

— ♡S𝙰𝙺𝚂𝙷𝙸 (@spiceandicee) June 29, 2024

Virat Kohli in the victory lap with the T20 World Cup Trophy. 🏆🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/FqjgY2pNop

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 29, 2024

😭🫂#RohitSharma #ViratKohli #SAvIND #SAvsIND #T20WorldCup #TeamIndia #BharatArmy #COTI🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/8vKAHQYrPt

— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) June 29, 2024

Virat Kohli, Arshdeep Singh and Rinku Singh dancing. 😭 pic.twitter.com/mhThl8IC7o

— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessRohit) June 29, 2024

SEE ALSO: Rahul Dravid gets the perfect send-off from the team, says, “I tried my best whenever I played”