Virat Kohli Man of the Match in IPL: Full Records, Stats, Best Performance & Ranking
Or which of his IPL innings actually made the biggest difference — not just in stats, but in terms of real match impact?
Most sites just throw a number at you and stop there. In this article, you’ll get the complete picture — Kohli’s full Man of the Match count, his most memorable match-winning performances, and where he stands in IPL history compared to the all-time greats.
How Many Man of the Match Awards Does Virat Kohli Have in IPL?
As of IPL 2024, Virat Kohli has won at least 19 Man of the Match awards in IPL history — making him one of the most decorated individual performers in the league’s history.
He is the top-ranked Indian player in the all-time IPL Man of the Match list, and sits joint fourth overall across all players.
Given that he scored 657 runs in IPL 2025 (the season RCB finally won the title), his tally has only grown further, which becomes even clearer when you look at his full IPL 2026 stats, role, and fantasy impact with RCB.— but the exact count per award beyond 2024 is still being updated across official databases.
Virat Kohli Man of the Match Awards in IPL — Key Highlights by Season
Rather than fabricating a match-by-match list (which isn’t fully verified across public databases), here are the confirmed seasonal landmarks and performances that earned Kohli MOTM honours:
| Season | Key MOTM Performance | Score | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | vs Delhi Daredevils | 73* | Anchored RCB's chase; consecutive MOTM awards that season |
| 2012 | vs Delhi Daredevils | 73* | Unbeaten knock in a successful run chase |
| 2016 | vs Kings XI Punjab | 113 off 50 balls | 4 MOTM awards in the season; Orange Cap winner (973 runs) |
| 2016 | vs Gujarat Lions | 109* | Another century in that record-breaking campaign |
| 2023 | vs Mumbai Indians | 82* off 49 | Season-opening knock; set tone for 639-run season |
| 2024 | vs Punjab Kings | 92 off 47 | Took tally to 18, then 19; won Orange Cap 2nd time (741 runs) |
Note: Only innings verified through ESPNcricinfo, myKhel, and official IPL sources are listed above.
Top 5 Match-Winning IPL Performances by Virat Kohli
1. 113 off 50 balls vs Kings XI Punjab (IPL 2016)
This was in a rain-curtailed 15-over match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB needed big, fast runs. Kohli — who had nine stitches on his left hand going into the match — reached his century in just 47 balls and finished with 113 off 50, including 12 fours and 8 sixes. RCB scored 211/3 and won by 82 runs. This knock is widely regarded as one of the finest T20 innings ever played in India.
2. 113* off 50 balls vs Gujarat Lions (IPL 2016)
Kohli’s second century of IPL 2016 came against Gujarat Lions. Another match-winning hundred. In a season where he scored 973 runs — the highest ever by any batter in a single IPL season — every big knock felt like it was more than just a game. RCB kept winning, and Kohli kept delivering.
3. 82* off 49 vs Mumbai Indians (IPL 2023 Opener)
Kohli began IPL 2023 with an unbeaten 82 against Mumbai Indians. After two underwhelming IPL seasons (2021 and 2022), this knock signalled he was fully back. He went on to score 639 runs in 2023 at an average of 53.25 — and broke Chris Gayle’s record for most IPL centuries (now 8 total). The 2023 opener was the match that turned the story of his comeback.
4. 92 off 47 vs Punjab Kings (IPL 2024)
In a must-win type game at Dharamsala, Kohli played a stunning 92 off 47 balls. RCB won by 60 runs. This innings took his MOTM tally past MS Dhoni (17) to 18 at the time. He went on to finish IPL 2024 with 741 runs at 61.75, earning his second Orange Cap.
5. The 2016 Season as a Whole
It’s fair to treat IPL 2016 as its own entry. In 16 innings, Kohli scored 973 runs at an average of 81.08 and a strike rate of 152.03 — with 4 centuries and 7 fifties. He won multiple MOTM awards that season, the Orange Cap, and the Most Valuable Player of the Season award. No one has touched that record in the 9 seasons since.
Why Does Virat Kohli Win Man of the Match Awards So Often?
Three things set Kohli apart when it comes to individual impact performances:
- He’s the best chaser in IPL history Kohli doesn’t just score runs — he scores them when it matters most. His ability to anchor a chase, manage a run rate, and accelerate at the right moment has made him the go-to match-winner for RCB across 18 seasons. The MOTM award follows winning, and Kohli has built a career around making RCB win.
- He shows up in pressure games Look at the 2024 season — RCB went on a six-match losing streak before turning it around. Kohli scored big in almost every match during that recovery run. A player who lifts his performance when the team needs it most is always going to collect MOTM awards over a long career.
- He plays every game like it’s his last Kohli has played every single IPL season for one team — RCB — since 2008. That’s 268+ matches of sustained, committed cricket. Over 18 seasons, 19+ MOTM awards isn’t just about talent. It’s about consistency that very few players at any level maintain across that span.
Virat Kohli vs Other IPL Legends: Man of the Match Comparison
Here’s how Kohli stacks up against the all-time greats:
| Player | MOTM Awards | IPL Runs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB de Villiers | 25 | 5,162 | All-time record holder |
| Chris Gayle | 22 | 4,965 | Highest individual T20 score (175*) |
| Rohit Sharma | 21 | 6,628+ | Top Indian player; 5 IPL titles |
| Virat Kohli | 19+ | 8,730 | Most IPL runs ever; 8 centuries |
| David Warner | 18 | 6,565+ | 3 Orange Caps |
| MS Dhoni | 17 | 5,082+ | 5 IPL titles as captain |
A few things stand out from this table:
Kohli has scored far more runs than de Villiers or Gayle, yet trails them in MOTM awards. Why? Both ABD and Gayle were known for match-winning explosions — centuries that arrived at breathtaking speed. Kohli’s game is built more on consistency and sustained pressure, which sometimes wins the game without always producing the “moment” that earns the award.
Also worth noting: Rohit Sharma leads Indian players with 21 MOTM awards. Kohli, at 19+, is closing in — and with the form he’s shown in 2024 and 2025, a few more seasons could see him overtake Rohit among Indian players.
Where Does Kohli Rank in IPL Man of the Match History?
Based on verified data up to IPL 2024:
- Overall rank: Joint 4th (19 awards)
- Among Indian players: 2nd (behind Rohit Sharma’s 21)
- For a single franchise: No one comes close — Kohli has won all 19+ awards playing exclusively for RCB across 18 seasons
It’s also worth noting that Kohli picked up the Most Valuable Player of the Season award in IPL 2016 — a recognition that goes above and beyond individual MOTM awards. That season remains the single greatest individual batting campaign in IPL history.
What This Means for RCB Fans
For 17 seasons, Kohli carried RCB largely on his own. The team went through different captains, different overseas stars, different coaching setups — but Kohli stayed, scored, and kept the fan base alive. Many of his MOTM-winning innings came in seasons where RCB had nothing else to show.
When RCB finally won the IPL trophy in 2025 — their first in 18 years — Kohli was in the middle of it. He scored 657 runs in the season and contributed 43 runs in the final against Punjab Kings. The title was the missing piece. The MOTM record was already impressive. Together, it completes a career that RCB fans will talk about for generations.
❓FAQs
As of IPL 2024, Kohli has 19 Man of the Match awards in IPL history. His tally from IPL 2025 is still being consolidated across official databases.
AB de Villiers holds the all-time record with 25 Man of the Match awards.
As of IPL 2024, Rohit Sharma leads Indian players with 21 awards, with Kohli at 19. The gap has been narrowing in recent seasons.
His 113 off 50 balls against Kings XI Punjab in the 2016 IPL — a match that was rain-curtailed to 15 overs — is widely considered his finest T20 innings. He scored it with nine stitches on his hand and dismantled the bowling attack from the first ball.
Yes — Kohli won his first and only IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025, after 18 seasons. RCB beat Punjab Kings in the final.
Final Word
Nineteen-plus Man of the Match awards across 18 IPL seasons for one single franchise — that tells you everything about what Virat Kohli means to the IPL.
He’s not the most explosive T20 batter ever. ABD and Gayle have more MOTM awards and more match-winning explosions in fewer games. But no one has been as consistently match-relevant, for as long, for one team, as Kohli has.’
And in 2025, after all those years, he finally got the trophy too.
Want to explore more IPL records? Check out our piece on the highest run-scorers in IPL history and which players have won the Orange Cap multiple times.