Australian batsman Travis Head has achieved a special feat in the history of the World Test Championship (WTC). Head made a unique record with a brilliant performance in the first Test match against the West Indies on Friday, June 27.
Plyer of the Match Awards: In the first Test played at the Barbados ground, Australia defeated the West Indies by 159 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Fast bowlers dominated the match, but the real hero was Australia's middle-order batsman Travis Head, who, without scoring a century or breaking any major records, still achieved a special milestone in the history of the World Test Championship (WTC).
In the match that ended on June 27, Travis Head scored crucial half-centuries in both innings. In the first innings, where the Australian team was on the verge of being dismissed for 180 runs, Head played a significant innings of 59 runs. In the second innings, Head scored 61 runs, contributing to the team reaching 300. Due to these two innings, he was awarded the 'Player of the Match' title.
Most Player of the Match Awards in WTC
Travis Head created history by achieving this honor. He has become the player with the most Player of the Match awards, 10 times, in the history of the World Test Championship. The special thing is that he has accomplished this feat in just 50 Test matches. Head's unique record has surpassed greats like England's star all-rounder Ben Stokes (5 times) and Joe Root (5 times). India's Ravindra Jadeja is also included in this list, who has won the Player of the Match award four times.
- 10 times - Travis Head
- 5 times – Ben Stokes
- 5 times – Joe Root
- 4 times – Harry Brook
- 4 times – Ravindra Jadeja
- 4 times – Usman Khawaja
- 4 times – Steve Smith
- 4 times – M Labuschagne
Match Update
From the first day of the Barbados Test, fast bowlers dominated. Australia's first innings was wrapped up for 180 runs, but the Aussie bowlers restricted the West Indies to 190 runs, bringing the team back into the match. After this, Australia scored 300 runs in the second innings, in which Head's innings of 61 runs was special. The West Indies team, chasing the target, was dismissed for just 141 runs. Australian fast bowlers wreaked havoc in the final session, defeating the opposing batsmen.
Even though Head's bat didn't produce a century, the importance of his two innings cannot be ignored. In the first innings, as wickets fell, Head scored 59 runs, showing resilience. In the second innings too, he scored 61 runs, setting a b target for the opposition. This is why he was chosen as the Man of the Match and cemented his place in the history of the WTC forever.
With this win, Australia has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series. Captain Pat Cummins said after the match that Head's contribution was the turning point of the match, which brought the team out of the crisis and gave them victory. The West Indies team proved weak in both innings. The entire team was on the back foot after scoring 190 in the first innings and 141 in the second. The bowlers tried their best, but the batsmen's failure took the match away from them.
