Virat Kohli Creates History: Wins Most Player of the Match Awards in ICC Tournaments Against Pakistan

Virat Kohli's mastery of the chase was on full display once again as he dismantled Pakistan’s bowling attack and guided India to yet another memorable victory over their arch-rivals. The Indian superstar was at his absolute best, carving up the opposition with ease on his way to a sublime 51st ODI century.

His match-winning knock not only sealed the win but also earned him yet another Man of the Match award against Pakistan – his fifth in ICC tournaments against Pakistan. No other player in cricket history has won more than three MOTM awards against a single opponent. India's victory not only put them on the brink of the semi-finals but also left defending champions and hosts Pakistan fighting to keep their tournament hopes alive. And once again, it was Virat Kohli who delivered on the big stage. His performances against Pakistan in ICC events have been nothing short of legendary, consistently rising to the occasion when it matters most. 

Kohli’s five Man of the Match awards in ICC tournaments tell the story of his dominance over Pakistan: a blistering 78* off 61 balls in the 2012 World T20 in Colombo, a masterful 107 in the 2015 ODI World Cup in Adelaide, an ice-cool 55* in the 2016 World T20 in Kolkata, his unforgettable 82* in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne, and now, a flawless 100* in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai. His overall record in ODIs against Pakistan is just as staggering. Across 17 innings, Kohli has amassed 778 runs at an astonishing average of 59.84, racking up four centuries and two fifties along the way. Simply put, when Kohli sees Pakistan in an ICC tournament, history suggests only one outcome – an Indian victory. 

With this latest knock, Kohli also reached a historic milestone, climbing past Ricky Ponting to become the third-highest run-scorer in international cricket history. Kohli now boasts an incredible 27,503 runs from 614 innings, averaging an impressive 52.38, with 82 centuries and 142 half-centuries to his name. The only two players ahead of him in the all-time charts are legends of the game—Sachin Tendulkar, who amassed a staggering 34,357 runs, and Kumar Sangakkara, who finished with 28,016 runs. As if that wasn’t enough, Kohli also shattered another long-standing record, becoming the fastest player to reach 14,000 ODI runs. He needed just 287 innings to hit the milestone, leaving Tendulkar’s previous record of 350 innings far behind. Once again, King Kohli has shown why he’s one of the greatest batters to ever grace the game.