T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament: full winners list and history

Quick answer

Who won the latest T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award?

Sanju Samson won the award at the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup: 321 runs in 5 innings at 80.25, strike rate 199.38, with three half-centuries in three straight knockout matches against the West Indies, England and New Zealand. India retained the title, becoming the first host nation to win it.

T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament winners at a glance

Across 10 editions, nine different players have won the award. Kohli is the only two-time winner, in 2014 and 2016. India has produced the most awards, four, split across three players. Half of the 10 awards have gone to players whose teams did not lift the trophy.

 

T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament winners list

Complete winners list from 2007 to 2026

Year	Player	Country	Runs	Wickets	Team result
2007	Shahid Afridi	Pakistan	—	12	Runner-up
2009	Tillakaratne Dilshan	Sri Lanka	317	—	Runner-up
2010	Kevin Pietersen	England	248	—	Champions
2012	Shane Watson	Australia	249	11	Lost semi-final
2014	Virat Kohli	India	319	—	Runner-up
2016	Virat Kohli	India	273	—	Lost semi-final
2021	David Warner	Australia	289	—	Champions
2022	Sam Curran	England	—	13	Champions
2024	Jasprit Bumrah	India	—	15	Champions
2026	Sanju Samson	India	321	—	Champions

What the winners list tells us

Kohli's 2014 and 2016 double is the only repeat; every other winner appears once. Five of the 10 awards went to non-champions, an even split that shows individual output is rewarded over the trophy itself. Batting carried most winners: six batting-led, two bowling-led, two all-round. India's four awards came from three different players, which separates the country's raw award count from its actual pool of match-winners.

 

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Every T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament winner explained

2007 — Shahid Afridi

Afridi finished joint second on the wicket-takers' list, 12 scalps at 15.6, and contributed quick runs down the order. Pakistan lost the final to India by 5 runs; Irfan Pathan, not Afridi, took Player of the Match in that game.

2009 — Tillakaratne Dilshan

317 runs in 7 innings at 52.83, strike rate 144, the tournament's leading run tally, opening the batting with rare aggression for the era. Sri Lanka lost the final to Pakistan.

2010 — Kevin Pietersen

248 runs at 62, strike rate 137.7, including 47 not out in the final. England won their first global title, though Craig Kieswetter took Player of the Match in that game, not Pietersen.

2012 — Shane Watson

249 runs at an average near 50, strike rate 150, plus 11 wickets. Australia still lost in the semi-finals. Watson remains the clearest example of the award going to a genuine all-rounder.

2014 — Virat Kohli

319 runs at 106.33, strike rate 129.15, still the highest tally by any winner in a single edition. Kohli carried India to the final largely alone, including 72 not out in the semi-final, but India lost to Sri Lanka.

2016 — Virat Kohli

273 runs in 5 innings at 136.50, strike rate 146.77, capped by an unbeaten 82 against Australia at Mohali. India lost the semi-final to the West Indies. This made Kohli the award's first and only two-time winner.

2021 — David Warner

289 runs in 7 matches at 48.16, strike rate 146.70, three fifties including one in the final. Australia won their maiden title, though Mitchell Marsh, not Warner, took Player of the Match in that final.

2022 — Sam Curran

13 wickets in 6 matches at 11.38, economy 6.52. England won a second title at the MCG, and Curran also took Player of the Match in the final with 3 for 12.

2024 — Jasprit Bumrah

15 wickets in 8 matches at 8.26, economy 4.17, figures without real precedent for a fast bowler in this format. India ended an 11-year ICC trophy drought. Kohli, not Bumrah, took Player of the Match in the final for his 76.

2026 — Sanju Samson

321 runs in 5 innings at 80.25, strike rate 199.38. Three fifties came in three straight knockout matches, and he made 89 off 46 balls in the final. India won a third title and became the first host nation to win it.

 

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Which player has won the most T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament awards?

Virat Kohli's 2014 and 2016 double

Kohli is the only player to win the award twice, and the only one to win it in consecutive editions. He finished as the leading run-scorer in both tournaments, with 319 runs in 2014 and 273 in 2016, despite India falling short of the title on both occasions.

Has anyone else won the award more than once?

No. Every other winner on the list has won it exactly once. This should not be confused with unrelated records, such as fewest matches needed to win the award: Sanju Samson matched Kohli's 2016 mark of winning from just 5 games in 2026, but that is a different statistic from winning the award itself more than once.

 

Best T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament performances ranked

This is a Cricklytix editorial ranking, not an official ICC judgement. We compare campaigns using four weighted factors: tournament production (30%), efficiency such as average and strike rate or economy (25%), big-match and knockout impact (25%), and team result (20%). Cross-role comparisons between batters and bowlers are inherently imperfect, and this ranking should be read as informed analysis rather than a precise formula.

Virat Kohli — 2014

Kohli scores highest on production, with the biggest single-edition run tally by any winner, and strongly on knockout impact given his 72 not out in the semi-final. He loses points on team result, since India lost the final.

Shane Watson — 2012

Watson's combination of 249 runs and 11 wickets is the most statistically complete campaign on this list, scoring well across production and efficiency. His team result score is capped by Australia's semi-final exit.

Jasprit Bumrah — 2024

Bumrah dominates the efficiency category: an economy of 4.17 in a format built to punish bowlers is close to unrepeatable. He also scores well on team result, since India won the title, and on knockout impact for his death-overs work in the final.

Sanju Samson — 2026

Samson's efficiency numbers are the best on this list by strike rate, and his knockout impact score is close to maximum, with three fifties arriving in three straight knockout matches. His production score is slightly capped by playing only 5 innings.

Which performance was the greatest?

Weighing all four factors, Kohli's 2014 campaign ranks first for sheer production sustained under pressure in a losing cause, the hardest version of this achievement. Bumrah's 2024 tournament ranks second for the difficulty of what he did with the ball. Samson and Watson complete a genuine top four, separated more by role than by quality.

 

Batters vs bowlers — who usually wins the award?

Batting-led winners

Six of the 10 awards have gone to campaigns built primarily on batting: Dilshan (2009), Pietersen (2010), Kohli (2014 and 2016), Warner (2021) and Samson (2026).

Bowling-led winners

Two awards have gone to specialist bowlers: Curran (2022) and Bumrah (2024). Bumrah is the only pure fast bowler to win the award outright on bowling alone.

All-round performances

Two awards have gone to genuine all-rounders whose batting and bowling both mattered: Afridi (2007) and Watson (2012).

Does the award historically favour batters?

The historical record shows batting-led campaigns winning six times out of 10, so yes, the award has favoured batters more often than not. A bowler typically needs an exceptional economy rate, as Bumrah showed in 2024, to overcome a run-scorer's more easily readable numbers.

 

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Players who won the award without winning the T20 World Cup

Shahid Afridi — 2007

Pakistan lost the final to India. Afridi still won the award for his all-round contribution through the group stage and knockouts.

Tillakaratne Dilshan — 2009

Sri Lanka lost the final to Pakistan. Dilshan's tournament-leading run tally still earned him the award.

Shane Watson — 2012

Australia went out in the semi-finals. Watson's combined batting and bowling numbers were still the best in the tournament.

Virat Kohli — 2014 and 2016

India lost the final in 2014 and the semi-final in 2016. Kohli won the award both times regardless.

Does Player of the Tournament have to come from the winning team?

No. Half of all Men's T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament awards through 2026 have gone to players whose teams did not win the title: Afridi (2007), Dilshan (2009), Watson (2012), and Kohli (2014, 2016).

 

T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament vs Player of the Final

What's the difference?

Player of the Tournament covers the entire campaign. Player of the Match in the final recognises the single best performance in one game, which is not always delivered by the same player.

Players who won both awards in the same tournament

Sam Curran is the only player to win both awards in the same edition, taking Player of the Tournament for his 13 wickets in 2022 and then Player of the Match in the final for figures of 3 for 12. In every other edition where the tournament winner's team also won the trophy, a different teammate took the final's top individual honour: Craig Kieswetter in 2010, Mitchell Marsh in 2021, Virat Kohli in 2024, and Jasprit Bumrah in 2026.

Why the awards measure different things

Player of the Tournament rewards sustained excellence across a full campaign, often 5 to 8 matches. Player of the Match in the final rewards one performance under the highest pressure of the event. A player can dominate the whole tournament and still not have their best day on the final's specific date.

 

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Which country has produced the most Player of the Tournament winners?

India

India has produced 4 of the 10 awards, from 3 different players: Virat Kohli (2014, 2016), Jasprit Bumrah (2024) and Sanju Samson (2026). No other country has more than 2 awards.

England

England has 2 awards from 2 different players: Kevin Pietersen (2010) and Sam Curran (2022), both delivered in title-winning campaigns.

Australia

Australia has 2 awards from 2 different players: Shane Watson (2012) and David Warner (2021).

Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Pakistan has 1 award, from Shahid Afridi in 2007. Sri Lanka has 1, from Tillakaratne Dilshan in 2009. Both were delivered in runner-up campaigns.

Country	Awards	Unique players	Editions
India	4	3	2014, 2016, 2024, 2026
England	2	2	2010, 2022
Australia	2	2	2012, 2021
Pakistan	1	1	2007
Sri Lanka	1	1	2009

 

Most dominant batting performances by an award winner

Most runs

Virat Kohli's 319 runs in 2014 is the highest total posted by any Player of the Tournament winner in a single edition.

Highest batting average

Kohli again, with an average of 136.50 across 5 innings in 2016.

Highest strike rate

Sanju Samson's strike rate of 199.38 in 2026 is the highest of any winner on this list, well ahead of the next fastest.

Most half-centuries

Samson and Warner each made three half-centuries during their winning campaigns, the most by any award winner in a single edition.

 

Best bowling performances by an award winner

Most wickets

Jasprit Bumrah took 15 wickets in 2024, the most by any Player of the Tournament winner.

Best bowling average

Bumrah again, at 8.26 in 2024.

Best economy rate

Bumrah's economy of 4.17 in 2024 is the best of any winner. Sam Curran's 6.52 in 2022 is the next best among specialist bowlers.

Jasprit Bumrah's 2024 performance in context

Only two winners on this list have been recognised primarily for bowling, Curran and Bumrah, so direct historical comparison is limited. Within that small sample, Bumrah's economy is roughly two runs an over better than Curran's, in a tournament format built to reward boundary-hitting rather than containment.

 

How is the T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament chosen?

What does the award recognise?

The award recognises the best individual performance across a full tournament campaign, judged on runs, wickets, strike rate, economy rate and overall match impact.

Does fan voting decide the winner?

The selection method has varied by edition. In 2022 and 2026, the ICC combined a shortlist of nominees, drawn up by a panel, with a public fan vote to help decide the winner. Earlier editions are understood to have relied on a panel decision without a public voting component, though the ICC has not published a consistent record of the exact process for every year.

Do knockout performances matter?

There is no published ICC rule stating that knockout-stage performances are weighted more heavily in the selection process. In practice, strong knockout form clearly shapes how voters and panels perceive a campaign, as with Samson's three fifties in the 2026 knockouts, but this is an observation about influence rather than a confirmed formal scoring rule.

 

T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament records

Record	Player	Edition / value
Most awards	Virat Kohli	2 (2014, 2016)
Consecutive awards	Virat Kohli	2014 and 2016
Most runs by a winner (single edition)	Virat Kohli	319 (2014)
Highest batting average by a winner	Virat Kohli	136.50 (2016)
Highest strike rate by a winner	Sanju Samson	199.38 (2026)
Most wickets by a winner	Jasprit Bumrah	15 (2024)
Best economy rate by a winner	Jasprit Bumrah	4.17 (2024)
Fewest matches needed to win	Virat Kohli / Sanju Samson	5 matches (2016 / 2026)
Youngest winner	Sam Curran	24, in 2022
Oldest winner	David Warner	35, in 2021

 

Who was the greatest T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament winner?

The case for Virat Kohli

Two awards, the highest single-edition run tally on record, and both delivered while carrying India through genuine pressure. No other player has repeated the achievement even once.

The case for Shane Watson

The most statistically complete all-round campaign on this list, delivered from a team that did not reach the final, with no cushion of a title to inflate the case.

The case for Jasprit Bumrah

A bowling campaign with no close precedent at this event: 15 wickets at an economy under 4.5, in the format least suited to a bowler dominating it.

The case for Sanju Samson

Efficiency and knockout timing rather than volume: three fifties arrived exactly when India needed them, across three straight knockout games, with the title secured.

Cricklytix final ranking

This ranking is Cricklytix editorial analysis, not an ICC judgement. Synthesising volume, efficiency, knockout impact and team result: Kohli ranks first for the consistency of two elite campaigns, Bumrah second for the rarity of his bowling numbers, Samson third for pure efficiency under knockout pressure, and Watson fourth for the most complete all-round display on the list.

 

Frequently asked questions

Who won the 2026 T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament?

Sanju Samson won the award, scoring 321 runs in 5 innings at a strike rate of 199.38 as India won the title on home soil.

Who won the 2024 T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament?

Jasprit Bumrah won the award, taking 15 wickets in 8 matches at an economy rate of 4.17 as India ended an 11-year ICC trophy drought.

Who has won the most T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament awards?

Virat Kohli has won the award twice, in 2014 and 2016. No other player has won it more than once.

Did Virat Kohli win Player of the Tournament twice?

Yes. Kohli won it in 2014 and 2016, the only occasions the award has gone to the same player in consecutive editions.

Has anyone won Player of the Tournament without winning the World Cup?

Yes. Five of the 10 awards have gone to players on non-champion teams: Shahid Afridi (2007), Tillakaratne Dilshan (2009), Shane Watson (2012), and Virat Kohli (2014 and 2016).

Who was the first T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament?

Shahid Afridi, at the inaugural 2007 edition in South Africa.

Has a bowler won T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament?

Yes. Jasprit Bumrah in 2024 and Sam Curran in 2022 both won the award as specialist bowlers.

Which country has the most Player of the Tournament awards?

India, with 4 of the 10 awards, spread across 3 different players: Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Sanju Samson.

How is the T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament selected?

Through a mix of statistical performance and expert judgement. In 2022 and 2026 this included an ICC shortlist combined with public voting; earlier editions are understood to have used a panel decision alone.