History! Travis Head claims 10th PoTM award in WTC era
What's the story
Australia's Travis Head has become the first cricketer to win 10 Player of the Match awards in the World Test Championship (WTC). The record came after his stellar performance in the first Test against West Indies in Barbados, where he scored fifties in both innings. His contributions were instrumental in Australia's 159-run victory, giving them a 1-0 lead in their three-match series.
Match details
Head scores fifties in both innings
On a challenging pitch, where runs were hard to come by, Head scored 59 in the first innings and 61 in the second. His vital knocks came at crucial junctures for Australia, helping them reach a fighting total in the first innings and recover from a precarious position of 61-4 in the second. Beau Webster (63) and Alex Carey (65) provided vital support after Head's dismissal in the third innings.
Award comparison
Head miles ahead of other contenders
Head's achievement of 10 Man of the Match awards in the WTC puts him well ahead of his closest competitors. Ben Stokes and Joe Root have five awards each, while Harry Brook has four to his name. As per ESPNcricinfo, the left-handed batter has been a consistent performer in the WTC, scoring 3,199 runs in 50 games with eight centuries and 15 fifties. He averages a fine 40.97 as his strike rate reads 73.01.
Milestone achievement
Fourth batter to hit 400 fours in WTC
Head also reached another milestone by becoming the fourth batter to hit 400 fours in the WTC. He achieved this feat in 83 innings, joining an elite group including Joe Root (576 fours in 119 innings), Marnus Labuschagne (476 fours in 96 innings), and Steve Smith (443 fours in 91 innings). "I would have liked to score a bit more, missed out on a few runs," said Head at the post-match presentation.