Will Jacks equal Shane Watson’s record for most T20 World Cup POTM awards?
Table of Contents
Will Jack’s Matches
Can a single player truly “own” an entire World Cup tournament? In 2012, Shane Watson did it in the humid heat of Sri Lanka, standing alone with a record four Player of the Match awards. For fourteen years, that mountain remained unclimbed.
But as Will Jacks stood in the middle of a collapsing England chase against New Zealand, he wasn’t just playing for two points. He was playing for a seat at the table of legends.
The Great Escape
England was staring down the barrel. They required 43 runs in the final three overs—a /task that usually requires a miracle or a catastrophic bowling meltdown.
Jacks, fresh off a disciplined 2/26 with the ball, walked in when the game was on a “knife’s edge.” Alongside the fearless Rehan Ahmed, Jacks didn’t just chase the target; he hunted it down.
His 32* off 18 balls wasn’t just a display of power; it was a masterclass in situational awareness. By the time England crossed the finish line with three balls to spare, the record was tied.
- The Milestone: Four POTM awards in a single edition—matching Shane Watson’s 2012 feat.
- The Versatility: Jacks has claimed awards against Nepal, Italy, Sri Lanka, and now the Kiwis.
- The Quote: “I reckon this is the best… absolutely buzzing with that,” Jacks remarked after the narrow victory.
The Statistical Soul of an All-Rounder
What makes Jacks’ 2026 run so significant isn’t just the volume of awards, but the variety of ways he earns them. Like Watson before him, Jacks is a “Swiss Army Knife” for his captain. Against Sri Lanka, it was his three-wicket haul that broke the game open. Against Italy and Nepal, it was his steady, unbeaten hand that guided a nervous middle order.
Most “specialists” wait for their phase of the game. Jack creates his own phase. By contributing in all three facets, he reduces the “luck” element of T20 cricket. If his bat fails, his off-spin provides a secondary path to impact. It is this redundancy that has made him the most valuable asset in the England camp.
The Rehan Ahmed “Spark”
While Jacks took the trophy, the contribution of Rehan Ahmed cannot be ignored. Scoring 19 runs off just seven balls in a high-pressure chase is the kind of support that allows a POTM performance to actually matter. Without Rehan’s strike rotation and boundary-clearing, Jacks’ 32* would have been a valiant but forgotten effort in a losing cause.
“When I went in there, it was on a knife’s edge.” — Will Jacks
Forget the “Big Hundred”
We are conditioned to think that Player of the Match awards belong to the centurions or the five-wicket takers. That is a T20 myth. The reality is that impact is measured in the “clutch” overs. Jack won this award not because he scored the most runs (Finn Allen’s 35 was higher), but because he scored the right runs at the worst time for the opposition.
The pro-tip for future T20 stars is simple: Don’t play for the big milestone. Play for the 3-ball window where the game can be stolen. Jacks has mastered the art of the “Impact Score”—a quick 20 or 30 that carries more weight than a sluggish 50.
Toward the Semi-Finals
With four awards in his pocket and England surging into the semi-finals, the question is no longer if Jacks can match Watson, but if he can surpass him. One more clinical performance in the knockouts would place him alone at the top of T20 World Cup history. For now, the all-rounder is simply “buzzing,” and England is reaping the rewards.
Key Takeaways
- Record Equalled: Will Jacks matches Shane Watson’s record of four POTM awards in one T20 World Cup.
- Clutch Finish: England needed 43 off 18 balls before Jacks and Ahmed secured the win.
- Double Threat: Jacks contributed significantly with both bat (32*) and ball (2/26) against New Zealand.
- Momentum Builder: England’s victory over the Black Caps cements their status as a tournament favorite.