Cricket is a widely watched sport all over the world. Just like many other popular sports, cricket is also a team sport. An eleven-a-side game, cricket gained massive fanbase all over the world in the recent 5 decades. However, all the players are important in a cricket team to make it unbeaten. But the crucial role of a finisher is critical in a cricket game. A finisher can win the game for their side in tough situations. There are many players who gained massive fame as finishers in international cricket. Let’s check out the Best Finishers in Cricket of all time across formats of the game.
What Does a Finisher in Cricket Mean?
A finisher is a player who bats deep in the batting order for their side. For example, a player who bats after No 5 to 7 generally has a role to finish the game for their side. In limited-overs formats, finisher play a crucial role in adding quick runs to the team’s total.
Although all the batting partners in the top order must perform for the consistency of the side. But a finisher can become the cherry on the cake if it gets a proper platform from the top-order batters. In a chasing situation, if the wickets fall early, the role of the finisher becomes more crucial to win the game for their side. Finisher must stabilize the remaining overs and runs he must score for their side.
Key Skills That Define the Best Finisher in Cricket
There are certain qualities for a player who can become the best finisher for their side. First of all, the finisher must work on his power hitting with skills, not slogging. Working with their coaches and enhancing technique can make a player a better finisher. Another thing, the player must be physically and mentally fit.
A finisher must have an athletic body to sustain any situation in the game. Fitness can help a player to get quick runs by running between the wickets and dropping the pressure from his side. Being mentally fit is a key quality for a player to have.
A player with a calm mind and powerful energy can give their side a better chance of winning the game. There are many player who have done this thing for their side by winning the game in tough situations. Match awareness is also a critical skill to have for any batter in tough situations in the game.
Best Finishers in Cricket History
There are many names who have the quality to be the finisher for their side. But there were quite a few to win the game for their side in the critical situation of the game. This records table will show the records of batters who batted as No 5 or below in white-ball cricket.
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
| MS Dhoni | 448 | 12380 | 45 | 124 |
| Shahid Afrid | 497 | 9470 | 23 | 138 |
| Ben Stokes | 157 | 4048 | 35 | 125 |
| Andre Russell | 142 | 2156 | 25 | 145 |
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni, who was the former Indian cricket captain is believed to have been one of the greatest finisher of all time in the history of the sport. MS Dhoni is a highly important member of the Indian cricket team since his entry up to the retirement. His batting to the end is what won many matches to India.
Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi, natural power hitter, of Pakistan, has a colossal fame of being the greatest finisher of Pakistan. His hitting strength resulted in winning of important matches in Pakistan. Ashwin was hit by the same person 2 times by Shahid Afridi to score a significant victory in Asia Cup 2014.
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes has won crucial ICC trophies for England with his crucial performance as a finisher. With his crucial batting Ben Stokes helped England to lift the ICC World Cup 2019 and the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 finals.
Andre Russell
West Indian powerhouse, Andre Russell is a powerful hitter of the ball. With his crucial power-hitting in death overs, West Indies won many crucial games. With his batting, Russell earned a valuable name in Franchise leagues as well.
Best Finishers in Modern Cricket
| Name | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
| Hardik Pandya | 232 | 4142 | 29 | 135 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 279 | 6887 | 30 | 140 |
| David Miller | 318 | 7415 | 35 | 132 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 163 | 4569 | 43 | 131 |
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya is currently one of the best finishers in international cricket. He has won many games for his side with late power-hitting. At the same time, he is crucial with the ball as well for India in T20 cricket.
Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell has been the backbone of the Australian side in white-ball cricket. He had a massively important innings for his side in crucial games. His 201* runs innings against Afghanistan was the knock of the ODI cricket.
David Miller
South African experienced batter, David Miller, played a crucial innings for his side in critical games. Although he is an underrated batter, Miller has 2 ICC tournament semi-final hundreds playing in the lower-middle order.
Daryl Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell is another finisher who has scored crucial runs for his side in important encounters. Mitchell has an excellent average in India as he scored most of his scores on Indian soil. He also scored a hundred against India in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023
Why MS Dhoni Is Often Called the Best Finisher in Cricket
MS Dhoni is really a standout finisher who has won critical games for India. He has the aura that shows how long MS stays on the crease, and the opponent team feels pressure. MS Dhoni was the captain of the Indian cricket team for almost 10 years.
MS Dhoni scored crucial runs against New Zealand in the ICC World Cup 2019 after the Indian team’s wickets fell quickly. He was at his best batting with the tail and scored easy runs for his side as well. These qualities made MS Dhoni an unbeaten finisher of all time.
Conclusion
Every player in a cricket team holds a massive responsibility to win the game. But the job of a finisher holds massive mental strength. Because in limited-overs games, the finisher plays a crucial role in sustaining a relatable run rate without being out as well. And the game awareness with selective shorts makes the finisher an asset for his side. Check out how many world cup does India have.
FAQ
Who is considered the best finisher in cricket history?
The records and impactful innings clearly shows that MS Dhoni is best finisher in recent 20 years of the game.
Why is MS Dhoni called the best finisher?
MS Dhoni was called the best finisher because of his excellent pressure handling in tough situations, as well as his brilliant game awareness.
What is MS Dhoni’s most famous finishing moment?
MS Dhoni played a crucial innings in the ICC ODI World Cup 2011, where he scored 91* runs and won the World Cup for his side by hitting a six.
What skills make a player a great finisher?
There are certain skills that define the finishers. A finisher should have great mental and physical strength. Also, proper power-hitting and game awareness define a perfect finisher.
Are there other great finishers in cricket besides MS Dhoni?
There are many players who have spent most of their time as finishers. Players like Michael Bevan, Shahid Afridi, and Darren Sammy were excellent finishers for their sides.
