In cricket, a man-of-the-match award is decided by a panel of experts, match officials, former players, or commentators who are present at the game. They analyze the performance of different players and make their decision accordingly.
The award is decided by analyzing the performance with the bat, ball, or field as well as their impact on the game. Sometimes, a player on the losing team also gets the award because of their splendid performance.
What are the Criteria for the Man of the Match Award?
Performance plays a significant role in deciding the criteria for a man of the match. A player with the highest runs, wickets, or best fielding efforts deserves a man of the match award.
Apart from that, a player who plays a match-winning knock also makes the way to get the man of the match award. The team victory favored a player to get that award.
A player who makes a notable impact on the game also deserves the award even after losing the game.
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Role of Umpires and Referees in Deciding Man of the Match
Well, the role of the umpire and referee in deciding the man of the match is limited. They ensure that the match needs to be played while following all the rules and regulations. They have less authority to decide which players should get the man of the match award.
In some cases, the match referee is asked to decide the man of the match when there is a tie between two panels. It is a rare occurrence because their responsibility is to ensure that the game is played fairly without violating any rules.
Role of Match Sponsors in Deciding Man of the Match
The sponsor doesn’t have a direct role to decide the man of the match award. The decision of the man of the match award falls under the jurisdiction of the match official or panel of experts.
However, sometimes the sponsors come to distribute the award of the man of the match. Ultimately, the match sponsors don’t have the authority to decide which player should get the man of the match award.
It is always important to note that this award should be decided on a per performance basis. The contribution of score or wicket matters most in deciding which player should get the man of the match award.
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Role of Media and Fan Voting in Deciding Man of the Match
Media and fan voting can play a significant role in deciding the man of the match award. The media can offer their opinions and analyze based on performance. The fans are also allowed to take active participation in deciding the man of the match by voting via different mediums such as polls and SMS.
However, the final decision is made by the match officials, a panel of experts, or commentators who have a better understanding of the game. The panel has to consist of various factors such as runs, wickets, and players’ impact on the game. So, these factors play an integral part in deciding the man of the match award.
Influence of Home Crowd and Host Nation in Man of the Match Decisions
The influence of the Home Crowd and host nation in deciding the man of the match is a real subject of debate. The home crowd always gives an advantage of electrifying sound and can also transform the decision in their favor of getting the award to their favourite player.
Similarly, the host nation’s support and backing can influence the selectors’ decisions in favor of their players. It can create a sense of bias towards the host team’s players, which can impact the man of the match decision
While the home crowd and host nation cannot be entirely discounted. The final decision is mainly based on the player’s performance and contribution to the game.
Examples of Famous Man of the Match Decisions in Cricket
There have been many famous men of the match decisions in cricket but some of the matches are always memorable-
- Sachin Tendulkar scored 98 runs in the 2003 World Cup against Australia. Despite losing the match, Sachin got the Man of the Match Award.
- Andrew Flintoff got three Man of the Match awards in Ashes 2005 out of five matches. England won the Ashes 2-1.
- M.S. Dhoni for Man of the Match after scoring 91 against Srilanka in the final of the 2011 World Cup.
- Wasim Akram got the man of the match award in the 1992 final against England. He scored 33 runs and took three wickets in that match.
- Yuvraj Singh got the Man of the Match Award in the quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup in which he scored 113 runs and took two wickets.
