First cricketer to win ‘Man of the Match’ without batting or bowling

WEB DESK: It had never happened before 1986. Until then, the Man of the Match award was only awarded to a batsman who propels the team to victory with significant runs or to a bowler who secures crucial wickets.

However, in an unprecedented turn of events, West Indies’ Gus Logie earned the Man of the Match accolade solely for his fielding brilliance, according to Cricinfo’s “The Strangest Match Awards”.

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In a 1986 Champions Trophy match between West Indies and Pakistan at the Sharjah Stadium, Gus Logie made history. He became the first player to be awarded Man of the Match without having batted or bowled. Logie’s exceptional fielding display, which included three remarkable catches and two run-outs, earned him this unique recognition.

Logie’s stellar performance involved catching Pakistan’s openers and Ijaz Ahmed, followed by running out Asif Mujtaba and executing a direct hit from square leg to dismiss Javed Miandad. These key fielding contributions helped West Indies bowl out Pakistan for 143, leading to a nine-wicket victory.

This marked a historic moment in international cricket as it was the first time a player received the Man of the Match award purely for fielding. Fans of Pakistani cricket team would be well aware of how matches played against the men in green can often deliver unprecedented moments, for both teams involved. In 1896, it happened for West Indies.

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The feat was later emulated by South Africa’s Jonty Rhodes, who also won the Man of the Match award for his outstanding fielding during the 1992 World Cup. Rhodes’ first climb to fame also came after a game against Pakistan, on March 8, 1992 at the Brisbane Cricket Ground.