Australia opener David Warner scored a match-winning 53 runs in the T20 World Cup 2021 final against New Zealand as they won by 8 wickets. Warner was named as the Player of the Tournament in Australia's maiden T20 World Cup title win.
The 35-year-old, second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, ended with 289 runs in seven innings which included three half-centuries with an average of 48.16. Not only in the final but the Aussie batter also played a crucial knock against Pakistan in the semi-final match.
But former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar was not pleased with Warner getting the Player of the Tournament award. He felt Pakistan's captain Babar Azam deserved it more, being the highest run-getter of the tournament.
Babar scored 303 runs in 6 innings with an average of 60.60 and a strike rate of 126.25. He had 4 half-centuries in the tournament, with a high score of 70 runs.
"Was really looking forward to see @babarazam258 becoming Man of the Tournament. Unfair decision for sure," Akhtar tweeted after the T20 World Cup final.
In the previous two editions (2014 and 2016), Virat Kohli was chosen as Player of The Tournament. Unfortunately, India got knocked out of the tournament in the Super 12 stage.