Most Man of the Match in IPL History

The Indian Premier League has hosted some of the best match-winners in the history of T20 cricket. The best players of the game of the yesteryears have outscored opponents while batting, rolled their arm over and picked as many wickets as they can, produced stunning all-round performances that in a match are parried into the bag of the prestigious Player of the Match award.

We move from the iconic superstars, such as AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, to the current T20 match-winners (on their day) of IPLs such as Sunil Narine and Jos Buttler; the commonality is that all regularly thrive under high-pressure situations.

Here is the latest list of players with most man of the match awards in IPL history along with updated list after IPL 2026.

Players With Most Man of the Match Awards in IPL History

Rank	Player	MOTM Awards	Matches	Status
1	AB de Villiers	25	184	Retired
2	Chris Gayle	22	142	Retired
3	Rohit Sharma	21	278+	Active
4	Virat Kohli	19	278+	Active
5	David Warner	18	184+	Active
6	MS Dhoni	18	278+	Active
7	Sunil Narine	17	198+	Active
8	Shane Watson	16	145	Retired
9	Yusuf Pathan	16	174	Retired
10	Andre Russell	16	140+	Active

1. AB de Villiers – 25 Man of the Match Awards

AB de Villiers remains the player with the most man of the match in IPL history. Playing mainly for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he became one of the most entertaining batters ever seen in T20 cricket.

De Villiers scored over 5000 IPL runs and produced countless match-winning innings. His ability to play innovative shots all around the ground earned him the nickname “Mr. 360.” Even after retirement, his IPL legacy remains unmatched.

2. Chris Gayle – 22 Man of the Match Awards

Chris Gayle made the T20 batting a different game with his explosive hitting. He also took away 22 Player of the Match awards whilst playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.

The unbeaten 175 by Gayle is still the highest individual score any player has made in the IPL till now. He was a menace through the powerplay overs and carried an aura of being one of the most dangerous batters in the tournament.

3. Virat Kohli – 22 Man of the Match Awards

With 22 Player of the Match awards now, Virat Kohli has tied with Chris Gayle.

Having played his entire IPL career at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli also went past the landmark 8,000 runs during the 2025 season. He is arguably one of the greatest IPL batters of the tournament’s history due to his overall consistency, aggression, and willingness to chase tough targets.

The 2025 and 2026 series also received the highest points from Kohli there in which he created a lot of history and became stronger in the all-time rankings.

Note: Record updated in table

4. Rohit Sharma – 21 Man of the Match Awards

Another IPL masterpiece from Rohit Sharma elevated him to 21 Player of the Match awards.

Rohit had gone on to become one of the most successful IPL captains of all time, captaining both the Mumbai Indians and the Deccan Chargers (the former while not owning a position of captaincy with the franchise). His composed batting style & excellent performance in high-pressure situations brought numerous IPL Trophy for Mumbai Indians.

He is still one of the greatest match-winners in IPL history.

5. Sunil Narine – 19 Man of the Match Awards

Sunil Narine is up to 5th with 19 Player of the Match awards.

Creating his name for Kolkata Knight Riders, Narine changed from a secret spinner into one of the game of cricket characters to become one of the argument’s best all-rounders. He was the first overseas bowler to take 200 IPL wickets in May 2026.

Narine’s power hitting in the powerplay period has also made KKR’s batting unit aggressive in the last few seasons, in addition to his performance as a bowler.

6. David Warner – 18 Man of the Match Awards

David Warner with 18 Player of the Match awards stayed as the most successful overseas batter in IPL history.

In IPL, Warner played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils. His non-aggressive batting and extremely high consistency towards the start of innings allowed his teams to completely dominate the powerplay overs.

Warner captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to their only IPL title in 2016.

7. MS Dhoni – 18 Man of the Match Awards

Taking part in games for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiant, Dhoni made a name for himself when it came to finishing nail-biting matches during tight finishes. Under his captaincy, Chennai Super Kings became one of the most successful IPL franchises.

Though waning in ability in the latter years, Dhoni’s tactical genius & edge-of-the-seat finishing skills still came to the fore.

8. KL Rahul – 17 Man of the Match Awards

KL Rahul now has 17 Player of the Match awards in IPL career thus far.

As a part of the Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, he has been a technically sound T20 batter.

It also means one of the greatest of modern IPL batsman, owing to his consistency and average.

9. Jos Buttler – 17 Man of the Match Awards

Jos Buttler is now in the all-time IPL Top 10 with 17 Player of the Match awards.

Coming off the back of successful seasons with Rajasthan Royals, he started a fresh challenge with Gujarat Titans for the 2026 season. For the Gujarat Titans, he is in sensational form, providing explosive but efficient starts and match-winning innings consistently.

Buttler, who is recognized as an aggressive batsman and also someone who can take down opposing bowlers at the powerplay, is still among the most dangerous T20 openers in world cricket.

10. Shane Watson – 16 Man of the Match Awards

Shane Watson was one the best IPL all-rounders with as many as 16 Player of the Match awards.

Watson played in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings.

Similar to his century in the IPL 2018 final, one of the best innings for IPL finals ever.

11. Yusuf Pathan – 16 Man of the Match Awards

Among one of the most destructive all-rounders of the early years of the IPL, Yusuf Pathan.

Pathan had played a few priceless innings and useful bowling spells while representing Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

His no-fear batting style made him a real fan favourite in the history of IPL.

12. Ravindra Jadeja – 16 Man of the Match Awards

Ravindra Jadeja also brings 16 Player of the Match awards to the dice.

Jadeja was one of the star performers for the Chennai Super Kings in all three departments – batting, bowling and fielding. With his all round capabilities, he became one of the most valuable player in the IPL history.

13. Andre Russell – 16 Man of the Match Awards

Andre Russell has won 16 Player of the Match awards for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Russell is recognized for his powerful hitting and/ big hitting finisher ability. He also became one of the most dangerous T20 all-rounders in the world with his pace bowling.

His performances of being match-winner makes him one of the biggest star of KKR.

Suggested Reads

• Fastest 100 in IPL by Team
• Highest Powerplay Score in IPL History
• Hat Trick in IPL History

Conclusion

Some biggest cricket legends in the world have placed themselves on the player with most man of the match in IPL history. Greats like AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and Jos Buttler have left the fans agape with their unforgettable performances over the years in the IPL.

With IPL turning into an increasingly brutal and throat-cutting tournament, the battle for Player of the Match awards is becoming even more thrilling. As a number of Star performers remain well in their prime and still rising in the rankings, this record can come crashing down.

FAQs