Cricket is not only one of the most entertaining but also one of the most unpredictable sports. It has a crazy fan base all around the world. Cricket is called unpredictable because the outcome of the ball can be decided even on the last ball of the match. The games that go till the last over create a thrill and excitement among fans and these kinds of games become memorable.
In crucial matches, finishers play the most important roles for their teams as they help them cross the victory line by delivering exceptional performances. A finisher is not someone who comes to bat at last and wins the game for his team. It is someone who has the capability to bring momentum to their side and lead the team to victory, even if the wickets are down and the game seems out of reach. In this article, we will have a look at some of the best finisher batsmen in the cricket world.
10) Jos Butler
The English wicketkeeper batsman has performed brilliantly in both international and franchise cricket. He has truly mastered the art of finishing the game and established himself as a great finisher in all formats of cricket. He has a strike rate of 144.61 in T20 and 117.11 in ODIs. Butler is one of the most amazing batters in modern-day cricket. His incredible finishing skills were witnessed most recently in the IPL 2024, when his team Rajasthan Royals faced Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR scored 223 runs in the first inning, and while chasing the target, RR lost wickets in bunches. However, Butler stood till the very end and not only completed his century in 60 balls but won the match.
9) Kieron Pollard
The giant Caribbean player, Kieron Pollard, had a strike rate of 94 in ODIs and 134 in T20s. Polly has played franchise cricket across the world, and the best thing about him is that he performs wherever he goes. Polly had a strike rate of 148.9 in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians which showed what he is capable of. Pollard has always performed when his team needed it and finished several games with a positive outcome. Once Polly comes to smashing balls out of boundaries, he is unstoppable.
8) Shahid Afridi
The former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is one of the best finishers in the world and he has delivered match-winning performances in all formats of the game. Afridi was once the face of Pakistan cricket and is a great scorer in their history who helped them win many crucial games. The most significant component of Afridi’s strategy is his imperious attitude and fearlessness. With the most Man of the Match awards (32), Afridi is one of the greats of the Pakistan team’s history. He handled pressure well in the crucial and final moments of the game and used to hit long sixes out of the field. In the 2014 Asia Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan, Shahid Afridi scored 34 runs off just 18 balls and hit two sixes to Ashwin in the final over, leading Pakistan to a thrilling one-wicket win over India with two balls to spare.
7) Viv Richards
Viv Richards is not only one of the greatest finishers in cricket history but also one of the most iconic batsmen of the game. The boldest thing about him was he used to play without wearing a helmet. If we see his strike rate and match-winning performances in ODIs, you’ll get to know Sir Viv Richards is one of the best ODI batsmen to ever play the game. He used to average over 57 and led West Indies to many great wins. Viv helped his team win both the 1975 and 1979 World Cups.
6) Abdul Razzaq
Abdul Razzaq is considered Pakistan’s most reliable all-rounder and one of the best finishers seen in ODI cricket. He was the only player in the team who had the ability to hit from the very first ball no matter which position he played. Razzaq had the ability to score runs quickly and turn the tide of the game. Along with bowling, his batting became more incredible and he eventually became the most important finisher batsman for his team in ODIs. Razzaq played 265 ODI matches, scoring 5,080 runs with an average of 29.71. He also played 46 tests, scoring 1,948 runs with an average of 28.62.
5) Michael Hussey
Australia has always had match winners and Michael Hussey is one of them. He used to perform extremely well in pressure and clutch situations. Because of his impressive batting abilities, Hussey was also given the opener position by Chennai Super Kings in franchise cricket. He had a great knowledge of the game and scored over 12,000 international runs before retiring. Hussey’s one of the most remarkable innings came in the 2010 World T20 semi-final match when Australia needed 17 runs from just 5 balls, chasing the target of 192 runs. Michael Hussey played heroic innings that day and smashed 6,4,6 and 6 to lead Australia to a thrilling win. Hussey scored 60 runs in just 24 balls that day and remained “not out.”
4) Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan made his international cricket debut in 1994 and quickly became not only one of the best batsmen but also one of the best finishers in ODI cricket. He used to give consistent match-winning performances, plan game scenarios and field placements and develop winning strategies on the last ball of the game. Bevan played 196 ODIs for Australia and scored 6,912 runs, averaging 53.58. Bevan was a significant player in Australia’s lineup and he used to bat at No.6, which is a difficult position to bat in ODI cricket. He scored 3006 runs at this position with an average of 56.71 runs per match.
3) Lance Klusener
Lance Klusener is one of the best finishers in South Africa’s history. He was a destructive batsman who won many matches for his team single-handedly. He was not only a great finisher but an outstanding all-rounder in ODI. Klusener used to attack the opposition in the end to take his team to victory. He had a great ability to take wickets as well, which made him one of the best all-rounders during the 90s.
When South Africa reached the semi-finals of the 1999 World Cup, Klusener had a stellar tournament, with 17 wickets and 250 runs in eight matches. He won Man of the Match awards and was also named Man of the Tournament in the 1999 World Cup. He played for South Africa from 1996 to 2004 and made a great impact on the game during those years. Klusener scored 3,576 runs in 171 ODI matches at an average of 21.10 and also took 192 wickets.
2) AB de Villiers
The finisher Known as Mr. 360 Degree, AB de Villiers has made a huge impact in the cricket world with his exceptional batting skills. He averaged over 50 in both Test and ODI cricket. ABD used to score runs by hitting in every direction and that’s what made him an incredible batsman along with one of the best finishers. He is the record holder for the fastest ODI 50 in just 16 balls, fastest 100 (31) and fastest 150 (64). During his international career, De Villiers received a total of three ICC ODI Player of the Year awards. ABD used to perform tremendously well in the IPL as well, which led to his huge fan base in India. Cricket fanatics still miss him being on the field.
1) Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is considered not only one of the best finishers but also the best wicket-keeper and captain that ODI cricket has ever had. His carefully planned strategies, taking the match to the very last ball and hitting big boundaries in crucial moments have led India to many exciting and thrilling victories. He remained unbeaten 47 times and scored 2,876 runs for India in successful chases. The most amazing thing about MSD is that he has 10,000+ runs in ODI, even though he used to bat lower in the order.
MS Dhoni’s iconic innings in the 2011 World Cup Final against Sri Lanka are the best example of why he is one of the greatest finishers in cricket history. When the top order collapsed while chasing the target of 275 runs, it was Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir who built a crucial partnership. MS scored 91 runs and ended the match with a six. Statistics show that Dhoni was successful in winning games most of the time when he remained at the crease until the last ball.
Also Read: T20 World Cup 2024: Can India Win With Bumrah Alone? Unpacking Bowling
