ICC Player of the Match in ODI World Cup finals since 1975

Winning the Cricket World Cup is every team and player’s dream. There have been 12 editions of the ICC Cricket World Cup starting from 1975 and there have been some amazing performances from teams and the players.

Players ready themselves for 4 years to participate in the mega ICC event and tried to step up for their teams when the big moment in the final came. Usually, a player who plays a very crucial role in the victory of his team is declared the "Player of the Match" award. It is interesting to note that no player has ever won the Player of the Match award twice in the finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

With this information, here is the List of ICC Player of the Match Winners in the Cricket World Cups Final:

1. Clive Lloyd (West Indies)- 102 and 1/38, 1975 World Cup

West Indies won the 1975 World Cup and skipper Clive Lloyd led from the front. Playing Australia at Lord’s, the West Indies was put into bat first. They lost their top three early but experienced Rohan Kanhai (55) added 149 runs with Clive Lloyd, who made 102 in 85 balls with 12 fours and 2 sixes. This helped West Indies put 291/8 in 60 overs.

Then Australia capitulated under pressure as five batters were run out, with Viv Richards running out three. Keith Boyce took 4/50 as Australia could only make 274 with Ian Chappell top-scoring with 62 runs. Clive Lloyd was named Player of the Match for his 102 and one wicket, that of Doug Walters.

2. Viv Richards (West Indies)- 138*, 1979 World Cup

West Indies completely dominated England in the 1979 World Cup final at Lord’s. Once again put into bat first, this time by England, West Indies managed to put 286/9. But in this instance, only two batters made significant contributions. Collis King made 86 in 66 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes. 

He added 139 runs with Viv Richards, who smashed 138* with 11 fours and 3 sixes. It was a chanceless innings by the master blaster. In reply, England only made 194 as Joel Garner took 5/38, as West Indies won by 92 runs. Viv Richards was named the Player of the Match.

3. Mohinder Amarnath (India)- 3/12 and 26, 1983 World Cup

West Indies completed the hat-trick of World Cup finals in 1983 and faced India. This time Clive Lloyd won the toss and put India into bat first. They could only muster 183 in 54.4 overs with Kris Srikkanth making 38 runs and Andy Roberts taking three wickets.

The total was very small for might Windies and they became complacent. Indian medium pacers generated massive swing in the air and apart from Viv Richards’s 33, the rest of the batting collapsed. Mohinder Amarnath won the Player of the Match for his 3/12 in 7 overs. He also became the first player to win Player of the Match awards in both semi-final and final.

4. David Boon (Australia)- 75, 1987 World Cup

Australia and England clashed in the 1987 World Cup final in Eden Gardens. Allan Border won the toss and batted first. David Boon scored a brilliant 75 anchoring the innings, while Mike Veletta made 45* as Australia posted 253/5 in 50 overs. In response, Mike Gatting (41), Bill Athey (58), and Allan Lamb (45) did well for England in the chase.

But once Gatting got out playing the infamous reverse sweep to Border, Australia tightened the screws and England was restricted to 246/8. Australia won by 7 runs and David Boon got the Player of the Match award.

5. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)- 33*(18) and 3/49, 1992 World Cup

Pakistan and England played the 1992 World Cup in Melbourne. Pakistan put on 249/6 batting first with veterans Imran Khan (72) and Javed Miandad (58) being the heroes. Later Inzamam Ul Haq (42) and Wasim Akram (33*in 18 balls) did maximum damage.

Imran Khan knew that Pakistan needed wickets to win the match and unleashed Wasim Akram. Akram got rid of Ian Botham for a duck at the start. But when it seemed England had rebuilt, Wasim came back again and bowled two beauties of deliveries to Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis to break their back. Pakistan won by 22 runs and Wasim Akram got Player of the Match for his all-round show.

6. Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka)- 107* and 3/42, 1996 World Cup

Sri Lanka had a dream run in the 1996 World Cup and they clashed with Australia in the final in Lahore. Australia posted 241/7 after being put into bat first with Mark Waugh (74), Ricky Ponting (45), and Michael Bevan (36*) starring with the bat. Aravinda de Silva took 3/42. 

Sri Lanka lost both openers for 23 runs and in walked Aravinda de Silva, who remained unbeaten on 107 with 13 fours. He had added 125 with Asanka Gurusinha (65) to stabilize the innings. And then took Sri Lanka home with captain Ranatunga (47*). Aravinda was rightly named the Player of the Match. 

7. Shane Warne (Australia)- 4/33, 1999 World Cup

Pakistan and Australia met in the final of the 1999 World Cup and the Men in Green faced the wrath of Shane Warne. Opting to bat first, Wasim Akram and Co. surrendered to the magic of Warne. The leggie picked wickets of Ijaz Ahmed, Moin Khan, Shahid Afridi, and Wasim Akram to finish with 4/33 as Pakistan made 132 runs.

Australia overhauled the target with 8 wickets in hand thanks to Adam Gilchrist’s 54. Shane Warne won the Player of the Match. He also joined Mohinder Amarnath in being adjudged Player of the Match in both semi-final and final.

8. Ricky Ponting (Australia)- 140*, 2003 World Cup

Sourav Ganguly erred in winning the toss and opting to bowl first in Johannesburg when India faced off in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia. Ricky Ponting hammered 140* (4 four and 8 sixes), Adam Gilchrist made 57 and Damien Martyn made 88* as Australia posted a mammoth 359/2 in 50 overs.

Despite Virender Sehwag’s 82, the total was too big for India, who managed 234. Australia won the final by 125 runs in a one-sided demolition. Captain Ricky Ponting was named the Player of the Match in the final.

9. Adam Gilchrist (Australia)- 149, 2007 World Cup

Another dominating performance by Australia, this time in the 2007 World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Barbados. Adam Gilchrist sliced threw Lankan bowlers to make 149 with 13 fours and 8 sixes. Australia posted 281/4 in 50 overs.

Then in a dramatic and confusing finish, Sri Lanka made 215/8 chasing 269 in 36 overs under almost darkness due to umpiring errors. Australia won by 53 runs via the DLS method and Adam Gilchrist deservedly won the Player of the Match.

10. MS Dhoni (India)- 91*, 2011 World Cup

India and Sri Lanka battled for glory in the 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai. Sri Lanka batted first and thanks to a Mahela Jayawardene masterclass of 103* with 13 fours posted 274/6 in 50 overs. Then Lasith Malinga shocked India by removing Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag for 31 runs on the board.

MS Dhoni promoted himself up to no.4 instead of Yuvraj Singh, after Virat Kohli fell and added 109 runs with Gautam Gambhir (97) to take India closer to the win. Dhoni finished the match with that iconic six and remained not out on 91 with 8 fours and 2 sixes. He was also named the Player of the Match.   

11. James Faulkner (Australia)- 3/36, 2015 World Cup

New Zealand and Australia, co-hosts of the 2015 World Cup, met in the final in Melbourne. Mitchell Starc set the stage by clean bowling Brendon McCullum for a duck and New Zealand didn’t recover from that. James Faulkner accounted for important wickets of Ross Taylor (40), Grant Elliot (83), and Corey Anderson as New Zealand was bowled out for 183 runs.

Australia chased down the total with Steve Smith and Michael Clarke hitting fifties, winning their fifth World Cup title. James Faulkner got the Player of the Match for his 3/36.  

12. Ben Stokes (England)- 84*, 2019 World Cup

The greatest-ever World Cup final was played between New Zealand and England at the Lord’s in 2019. New Zealand opted to bat first and posted 241/8 with Henry Nicholls making 55 and Tom Latham making 47. England were in trouble, but Ben Stokes (84*) took England to a tie in the end.

The match was to be decided in the super-over, which also ended in a tie. England won the World Cup controversially on the boundary count rule. Ben Stokes was named Player of the Match, despite the controversial boundary incident. 

List of ICC Cricket World Cup Player of the Match in Finals: 1975-2023