Whenever the talk of a finisher arises in cricket, the biggest name that comes to mind is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He has finished matches numerous times for the Indian team and for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
Fans affectionately call him “Thala the Finisher.” However, there have been many outstanding finishers in the cricket world, and today we will discuss three such prominent names.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India
When we talk about the biggest name in cricket as a finisher, it’s always Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whether it’s in one-day cricket or T20 cricket. There’s no answer to Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s batting in the last overs.
You can understand that the way he bats towards the end, he can bring a team into a match-winning position. Suppose a team needs 60-65 runs in the last overs to win, and Dhoni comes out to bat.
In that case, you can estimate that if he plays till the last ball, he will win the match for the team. His calculation is excellent, and he hits shots in a fantastic way. He has the strength and direction to place shots, which is his specialty, and he often does it towards the end when he plays the role of a finisher.
Michael Beven of Australia
For Australia, Michael Bevan, who played 232 matches with an average of 56, can also be considered the biggest finisher of this century. This is because in his 232 matches, he finished 45 matches for Australia, out of which he remained not out 25 times.
His most remarkable innings came in 1996 on New Year’s Day when Australia was chasing 173 runs against West Indies, and they were 6 wickets down for 38 runs.
From there, Michael Bevan played a splendid innings of 78 runs and hit a boundary on the last ball to win the match for Australia, creating many unforgettable moments where Michael Bevan fulfilled his role as a finisher and secured victories for Australia.
Shahid Afridi of Pakistan
Another title included in the list of finishers is Shahid Afridi, who debuted for Pakistan in 1996 and had a thrilling career. He played a fantastic role as a finisher in the 2007 World Cup, where he became the player of the tournament and in 2009, he finished the match for Pakistan in a superb way.
He scored 50 runs in the semifinal and 54 runs in the final to lead Pakistan cricket team to victory in the T20 World Cup for the first time.
Afridi has often rescued the Pakistan cricket team from struggling positions, and he was known for his ability to hit sixes even if he played 15-20 balls, which he did several times, delivering crucial moments for Pakistan.
Glenn Maxwell of Australia
Keeping an eye on international cricket, in today’s world, the name that stands out as a finisher with reliable talent is Glenn Maxwell. He has proven many times how the impossible can be made possible single-handedly.
His biggest imprint came when Australia was chasing 292 runs, and they had lost seven wickets. But Maxwell, after coming to bat, smashed a double century during the chase in Mumbai, proving that he not only knows how to make a match but also knows how to finish it.
He has done this multiple times in his career, leaving us all wondering, can he do it again?
In addition, there are many players in international cricket who have been fulfilling the role of a finisher well, but they haven’t shown the kind of consistency yet to be included in a big list.
However, we would like you to keep an eye on their names, such as the crucial name of Heinrich Klaasen. He has been delivering outstanding batting performances for South Africa lately, coming in at number four or five and bringing a lot of hope.
He has emerged as a dangerous player as a finisher. Team David has also been doing wonders for Australia. So far, they have shown this feat five times, where they have led Australia to victory in tight matches.
Similarly, West Indies captain Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd have also been fulfilling the role of a finisher for the team. Both are very dangerous batsmen who bat in a very aggressive manner, using their full strength to send the ball for long sixes.
