Who won the player of the series in the 2019 Cricket World Cup? It was none other than Kane Williamson!
Can you remember who are all the player of the tournament in Cricket World Cups?
Let us help you. Here is everything you need to know about the player of the tournament trophy.
Key Takeaways
The first player of the tournament in the Cricket World Cup (Men’s) was awarded in 1992.
Three batters, two bowlers, and three all-rounders have so far won this award in the eight instances so far.
New Zealand (2), India (2), and Australia (2) share the most player of the tournaments with South Africa & Sri Lanka winning it once each.
The player of the tournament had the following characters: 3 left handers, 4 right handers, and one ambidextrous (Lance Klusener – left hand bat, right hand bowl) .
World Cup Player of the Tournament – At a Glance
Player
World Cup
World Cup Venue
Martin Crowe
1992
Australia, New Zealand
Sanath Jayasuriya
1996
India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan
Lance Klusener
1999
England, Wales
Sachin Tendulkar
2003
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya
Glenn McGrath
2007
West Indies (Caribbean Islands)
Yuvraj Singh
2011
India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
Mitchell Starc
2015
Australia, New Zealand
Kane Williamson
2019
England, Wales
*POTM – Player of the Match
List of All 8 Man of the Tournament in Cricket World Cups
1. Martin Crowe (New Zealand), 1992 Cricket World Cup
A dream run. A sad ending. Having pulled his hamstring, Crowe was run-out on 91. He watched on the sidelines as a new captain tried to defend a spirited Pakistan. 1992 was a World Cup of firsts. Colored clothing,new ODI strategies,South Africa’s re-entry, rain controversies, round-robin format.
Martin Crowe is fondly remembered by many due to his inspiring captaincy and runs across the board. An average of 114 at 90 strike in 1992 is spectacular!
Revolutionized ODI cricket in the Powerplay. Sanath Jayasuriya (with Romesh Kaluwitharana) gave birth to a new brand of aggressive cricket. Chipped in with wickets and catches as well for a complete all-round show.
Perhaps the greatest player of the tournament performance of All-Time. Runs at an insane strike, finishing games left and right, and 17 wickets to top it off. People will remember that run-out in the semi-final that crushed South African cricket for a generation, but should also remember him as a pioneer of lower-order hitting/finishing in ODI cricket.
If Klusener was the greatest all-round performance, Tendulkar gets the best batting show award. Except for the match again Kenya, New Zealand, and the final, Tendulkar had eight innings of note. The 98 (75) vs Pakistan will go in folklore as one of the greatest innings of all-time in limited overs cricket.
Even though McGrath did not take a single 4-fer in this World Cup and was (only) player of the match twice, he was at his consistent best. Took at least a wicket in every match, 2 wickets thrice, and 3-wickets on six occasions. His spell in the semi-final broke South African hearts yet again.
Australia were so dominant for 15 years, they needed a maverick to knock them out of the quarter-finals. Yuvraj did it with clutch performance of 57*(65). Battling cancer behind the scenes, Yuvraj Singh went from good to legendary status in a space of 9 games.
It is only after Yuvraj was left out of the team, that we see what a gem he was to Indian cricket. As all-rounder in the Top 5. Yuvraj-Raina provided India with the balance they needed and with Dhoni, formed one of the greatest middle orders.
If McGrath has been the most consistent World Cup bowler, Starc has definitely been the most destructive (10.18 average, 17.4 SR, 3.5 economy – geez those numbers are out of the world!). The Australia vs New Zealand match at Eden Park and the first over to Brendon McCullum in the Final encapsulates Mitchell Starc’s career. Fast, inswinging yorkers that can change the momentum in space of a few balls.
In the prime of his life, Williamson’s 2019 was marked by pure batsmanship and character. Keeping cool in the final and couple of centuries highlighted his campaign.My favorite was the 106((138) against South Africa on a tough pitch, taking NZ from 80/4 to 245/6. He timed the chase with that late cate and slog sweep in the last two overs to perfection.
Whether it is the all-round show of Jayasuriya, Klusener, Yuvraj, the pure batting class of Williamson, Crowe, Tendulkar, or the bowling genius of Australians, McGrath & Starc, it has been just great to watch.
And even though from 1975-1987, we did not have player of the tournament awards, there were still many memorable performances from that era by Kapil Dev Glenn Turner, Vivian Richards, David Boon, and many more!
Which player will capture the hearts and imagination of cricket fans in 2023?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Man of the Tournament in Cricket World Cups
Who won the player of the tournament in the 2019 Cricket World Cup?
Kane Williamson won the player of the tournament award in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
When was the first man of the tournament given in Cricket World Cups?
The first man of the tournament trophy was awarded to Martin Crowe in the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
Which Indian cricketers have won the player of the series award in Cricket World Cups?
Sachin Tendulkar (2003) & Yuvraj Singh (2011) are the only two Indians to win the player of the tournament trophies in the ODI Cricket World Cup.
Other 2023 Cricket World Cup Content
If you liked reading facts about the World Cup, consider checking these articles out:
Who has taken the most wickets in a single ODI World Cup?
Let’s get to the facts right away!
Key Takeaways
Mitchell Starc (27) and Glenn McGrath (26) have taken the most wickets in a single ODI Cricket World Cup in 2019 & 2007 respectively.
Among the Top 17 most wicket takers in one CWC (Cricket World Cup), Mitchell Starc had an insane 2015 World Cup – 10.18 average, 17.40 strike rate, and 3.50 economy – the best stats in all departments.
Shahid Afridi in 2011 took 5 wickets twice & 4 wickets twice as well, the most for any bowler. On the flip side, Glenn McGrath took 4-wickets or above zero times in his astonishing run to 26 wickets in 2007.
Australians have featured as the top wicket-taker in an ODI World Cup on six out of the 12 occasions. Glenn McGrath & Mitchell Starc both appear twice.
Player
Wickets
World Cup
Mitchell Starc
27
2019 CWC
Glenn McGrath
26
2007 CWC
Chaminda Vaas
23
2003 CWC
Muttiah Muralitharan
23
2007 CWC
Shaun Tait
23
2007 CWC
Mitchell Starc
22
2015 CWC
Trent Boult
22
2015 CWC
Brett Lee
22
2003 CWC
Shahid Afridi
21
2011 CWC
Glenn McGrath
21
2003 CWC
Evolution of the Most Wickets in a Single World Cup (1975-2023)
1975: Gary Gilmour (Australia) – 11
1979: Mike Hendrick (England) – 10
1983: Roger Binny (India) – 18
1987: Craig McDermott (Australia) – 18
1992: Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 18
1996: Anil Kumble (India) – 15
1999: Geoff Allott (New Zealand), Shane Warne (Australia) – 20
2015: Mitchell Starc (Australia), Trent Boult (New Zealand) – 22
2019: Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 27
List of Top 17 Wicket Takers in a Single ODI World Cup
We filtered with a cut-off of 20 wickets in a single world cup. 17 bowlers have taken 20 or more wickets in a cricket world cup. Here is the complete list.
1. Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 27 Wickets, 2019 ODI World Cup
Who has taken the greatest number of wickets in the Cricket World Cup (ODI)? Here’s a quick preview: Glenn McGrath has taken the most ODI World Cup wickets (71). Both McGrath & Mitchell Starc have dominated World Cup bowling from every measure.
The World Cup is closer than it appears. Less than 30 days to go for the 2023 Cricket World Cup now, can you believe it?
So, let’s dive right in and find out all about the greatest World Cup wicket-takers.
ODI Cricket World Cup Wicket Takers – By the Numbers
The top 5 wicket takers in the ODI Cricket World Cup (CWC) are Glenn McGrath (71), Muttiah Muralitharan (68), Lasith Malinga (56), Wasim Akram (55), and Mitchell Starc (49).
From the Top 20 wicket-takers in the ODI CWC, nations most represented are as follows: Australia (5), New Zealand (4), Sri Lanka, Pakistan (3), South Africa, India (2), and Bangladesh (1). Surprisingly, the West Indies do not make the Top 30 in this list.
Mitchell Starc has the best average (14.81), bowling strike rate (19.12), and most occurrences of 4 wickets or more (6: 3 – 4-fers, 3 – 5-fers). On the other end of the spectrum, Shakib Al Hasan has the worst average (35.94) and strike rates (42.14).
The best figures from this group of 20 are Glenn McGrath (7/15), Tim Southee (7/33), Chaminda Vaas (6/25), Mitchell Starc (6/28), and Lasith Malinga (6/38). Note that Shane Bond also has World Cup figures of 6/23, but his overall wicket tally of 30 ranks him at #26 in this list.
Mitchell Starc (49), Trent Boult (39), Tim Southee (34), and Shakib Al Hasan (34) are the only active players still in this list who are expected to play in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The ODI Cricket World Cup: Who Has Taken the Most Number of Wickets?
Honorable Mentions: Shane Warne – 32, Chris Harris – 32, Mohammad Shami – 31, Anil Kumble – 31, Shaun Pollock – 31, Shane Bond – 30, Ian Botham – 30, Shoaib Akhtar – 30, and Shahid Afridi – 30.
Final Thoughts
Although these players have taken the greatest number of wickets in the Cricket World Cup, but more than the numbers, they have given us plenty of memories to remember them by.
Think Wahab Riaz vs Watson, Chaminda Vaas’s hat-trick, Boult vs Starc at Eden Park, Wasim Akram in the final, that Shane Bond spell, Imran Tahir’s celebrations, and much more.
I will leave you with this question for the 2023 ODI World Cup is, “Can Mitchell Starc break the World Cup record for the most wickets?”Comment below!
The top 5 wicket takers in the ODI Cricket World Cup (CWC) are Glenn McGrath (71), Muttiah Muralitharan (68), Lasith Malinga (56), Wasim Akram (55), and Mitchell Starc (49).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Most Number of Wickets in the Cricket World Cup
Who has taken the most wickets in World Cup?
Glenn McGrath (71), Muttiah Muralitharan (68), Lasith Malinga (56), Wasim Akram (55), and Mitchell Starc (49) have taken the most number of wickets in the Cricket World Cup.
How many World Cup wickets does Mitchell Starc have?
Mitchell Starc has taken 49 ODI World Cup wickets from just 18 matches. He boasts an absurd bowling average of 14.18 & strike rate of 19.12. He has taken 4-wickets thrice and 5-wickets thrice as well.
Can Mitchell Starc break the World Cup record for the most wickets?
Yes he can. If he is fit and plays in all the games on India’s pitches, then he can take 23 wickets to break Glenn McGrath’s record of 71 wickets. In case Australia reaches the final, he may have as many as 11 matches to break the World record (otherwise, he can play a maximum of 9 matches in the group stage).