List of Player of the Match winners in Men's T20 World Cup finals ft. Irfan Pathan 

The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup has got its finalists. It will be the inaugural champions India squaring off against the first-ever finalists South Africa in the mega clash on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Both teams went through to the final without losing a single game. For the first time in the history of T20 World Cups, we will witness a team lift the silverware without losing a game.

Over the years, this particular format has evolved drastically but the 2024 edition has provided different sorts of challenges for the batters which has made things very interesting. It wasn't long ago when scores in excess of 250 were chased down easily in the IPL. However, conditions in the USA and the Caribbeans have taken those massive scores out of the window.

This is perhaps the very first time that the bowlers have dominated the majority of the tournament. Scores around 160-165 have proved to be match-winning ones. In the second semi-final of the ongoing World Cup, India thrashed England by 68 runs after scoring 171. It provides a clear picture that conditions were very challenging.

Axar Patel was adjudged the Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance, picking three crucial wickets in the middle overs. His exploits put England on the back foot and they could never really recover from the early hiccups. With the final a few hours away, Axar would be eager to produce another Player of the Match award-winning performance in the final.

Having said that, let us have a look at the list of the Player of the Match winners in the Men’s T20 World Cup finals:

# 1. Irfan Pathan- 2007 T20 World Cup final

Irfan Pathan bagged the Player of the Match Award in the 2007 World Twenty20 final.

The Men in Blue won the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup. It was the bowling heroics from Irfan Pathan that earned him the Player of the Match Award in the final. However, many pundits felt that Gautam Gambhir should have been awarded the Player of the Match for his brilliant knock of 75.

India posted a competitive score of 157 after MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat. India lost Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa early but Gautam Gambhir managed to hold the innings together and batted sensibly in the middle overs. His exceptional knock of 75 defied the Pakistan bowlers and made sure the Indian bowlers had something to defend.

RP Singh provided India with two early wickets but it was Irfan Pathan who proved to be the wrecker-in-chief in the middle overs. He started Pakistan's slide with wickets of Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi on back-to-back deliveries and then rattled the stumps of Yasir Arafat in his second spell. He finished with magical figures of 3/16 in four overs but Misbah Ul Haq almost took the game away from India.

With six required off the last four deliveries, Misbah went for the attempted ramp and only managed to lob that in the air. Sreesanth stationed at short fine leg took a good catch to send India into delirium.

# 2. Shahid Afridi- 2009 T20 World Cup final

Shahid Afridi smashes a boundary during his match-winning knock in the 2009 finall.

Not many players in world cricket have managed to win Player of the Match awards in both semi-final and final of an ICC event. Former Pakistan superstar Shahid Afridi achieved this unique feat. It was his tremendous all-round showing all through the tournament which helped Pakistan clinch their maiden T20 World Cup title.

The Pakistan bowlers were right on the money in the final against Sri Lanka as they restricted them to a below-par score of 138 in their allotted 20 overs. Abdul Razzaq was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers, who finished with figures of 3/20. Shahid Afridi also stemmed the run flow in the middle overs and bagged an important wicket.

Pakistan got off to a pretty steady start but the wickets of Kamran Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan helped Sri Lanka claw their way back in the game. Shahid Afridi, who came out to bat at No. 3, soaked up the pressure and kept hitting the boundaries consistently. He remained unbeaten on 54 off 40 deliveries, which included a couple of fours and sixes each to take Pakistan over the finish line in the penultimate over.

# 3. Craig Kieswetter- 2010 T20 World Cup final

Kieswetter en route to a match-winning 62 against Australia.

Not many would remember this stylish wicket-keeper batter from England. Craig Kieswetter’s career came to a premature end after an eye injury forced him to retire from the game in 2015. However, he made a brief contribution to England's success and bagged the Player of the Match en route to England's first world title in 2010.

After batting first, England’s familiar foe Australia posted a competitive score of 147/6 on the back of a superb half century from David Hussey. Ryan Sidebottom bagged a couple of wickets as England managed to restrict the Aussies to an under-par score.

England lost Michael Lumb early. But the duo of Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen batted superbly in the powerplay and the middle overs to take them to a comfortable position. They kept finding the gap and boundaries pretty consistently and the partnership of 111 runs perfectly set it up for England.

Kieswetter was eventually dismissed on 63 off 49 deliveries which included seven fours and a couple of sixes. By then, England were within touching distance of the target. They eventually won the match by seven wickets and with three overs to spare.

# 4. Marlon Samuels- 2012 T20 World Cup final

Samuels scored a magnificent half-century against Sri Lanka in the 2012 T20 World Cup final.

Marlon Samuels' incredible all-round effort helped West Indies seal their first T20 World Cup title in 2012. They beat Sri Lanka in the final at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. On a track which aided the spinners, West Indies posted a below par score of 137. However, with some top quality spinners in their ranks, they would've backed themselves to defend the score at the halfway stage.

It was an exceptional knock from Marlon Samuels which propelled the Caribbeans to a decent score. They desperately needed a partnership after being reduced to 14/2. Samuels put the pressure back on Sri Lanka. His knock was mixed with caution and aggression. He was dismissed in the 18th over but by then he has laid the platform for a good finish.

His knock of 78 came in 56 deliveries and included three fours and six sixes. The score of 137 didn't look massive but the spin trio of Sunil Narine, Marlon Samuels and Chris Gayle along with the pace battery had other ideas.

Narine bagged three crucial wickets to rattle the Sri Lankan middle order. Samuels also bowled brilliantly, finishing with figures of 1/15 as West Indies bowled Sri Lanka out for just 101, winning the game by 36 runs.

# 5. Kumar Sangakkara- 2014 T20 World Cup final

The Player of the Match Award for the 2014 T20 World Cup final was given to Kumar Sangakkara. However, it was an exceptional effort from the fast bowling duo of Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara to restrict India to a below-par score of 130. They kept nailing their yorkers in the death overs and the Indian set batters like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni failed to get under any of those deliveries.

A score of 130 was always going to be difficult for India to defend but the early wicket of Kusal Perera ignited the hopes of an Indian comeback. The duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene steadied the ship in the middle overs.

Sangakkara went onto score a well-deserved half-century and remained unbeaten on 52 off 35 deliveries. His knocked helped take Sri Lanka over the finish line with 13 deliveries to spare. Thisara Perera provided the final punches as he smashed a flat six to see it through for the Lankans.

# 6. Marlon Samuels- 2016 T20 World Cup final

Samuels again played a match-winning knock in the 2016 World Twenty20 final.

Samuels bagged his second Player of the Match award in a World Cup final when he achieved this feat again in the 2016 T20 World Cup final against England. He played a pivotal role in the West Indies’ triumphant campaign for the second time.

However, it wouldn't have materialised unless Carlos Braithwaite smashed Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes in the last four deliveries of the match. His onslaught helped the West Indies register an incredible come-from-behind victory.

On the back of an impressive half-century from Joe Root and a crucial knock of 36 from Jos Buttler, England posted a competitive score of 155. West Indies were jolted early by David Willey and Joe Root, reducing them to 11/3 in quick time. It again needed the resurrection job from Marlon Samuels to help the Windies claw their way back in the game.

The innings were again a mix bag of caution and aggression. He never allowed the required rate to climb and kept finding the boundaries regularly. He remained unbeaten on 85 off 66 deliveries which was laced with nine fours and a couple of sixes. However, he was off strike in the final over where Brathwaite did all the damage.

# 7. Mitchell Marsh- 2021 T20 World Cup final

Mitchell Marsh celebrates after hitting the winning runs against New Zealand.

This was the first time that Australia was crowned champions of the T20 World Cup beating their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the final at Dubai. The current Australian T20 captain Mitchell Marsh was awarded the Player of the Match for a match-winning knock.

Riding on a sensational 85 off 48 deliveries from the New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, the Kiwis posted a good score of 172 in their allotted 20 overs. Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with three wickets to his name.

The Aussies were pegged early as Aaron Finch departed without making a significant impact but the pair of Mitchell Marsh and David Warner took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers. The duo shared a 92 run stand to lay the foundation for the rest of the run chase.

Marsh continued to be the aggressor as he eventually remained unbeaten on 77 off just 50 deliveries, an innings which was decorated with six fours and four sixes. Following Warner’s departure, Glenn Maxwell provided the finishing touches as he blazed to a 18-ball 28. Australia eventually chased the target down with seven deliveries to spare.

# 8. Sam Curran- 2022 T20 World Cup final

Sam Curran bagged the Player of the Match Award in the 2022 T20 World Cup final.

English all-rounder Sam Curran significantly impacted the 2022 T20 World Cup final against Pakistan. He bagged three crucial wickets to restrict them to a below-par score. The star studded Pakistani bowling attack did trouble England but they eventually chased down the target of 138 with an over to spare.

Pakistan got off to a steady start with an opening stand of 29 runs when Sam Curran castled Mohammad Rizwan with a beauty. He also accounted for Shan Masood and Mohammad Nawaz to restrict them to an under par score of 137. The pitch had something on offer for the bowlers and the Pakistan pacers utilised the juice on the surface early on.

Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi defeated the bat on numerous occasions but luck wasn't on their side. Ben Stokes batted sensibly and despite enduring a tough time against Naseem Shah, he managed to battle through the situation. He remained unbeaten on 52 to take England over the finish line.