5 Best finishers in the history of IPL ft MS Dhoni

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is known for its high-octane moments and as the tournament is fast-paced the role of batters becomes much more crucial especially the batters who bat at the lower order and who can do the job of a finisher more consistently.

IPL has witnessed some of the most destructive finishers since its introduction but some finishers have won games single-handedly than other batters. In this piece, we discuss some of the best finishers the League has witnessed.

The batters mentioned in the list possessed different skill sets technically but they were more than effective when it came to taking their teams over the line during demanding situations. We take a look at the five best finishes in the history of the tournament:

1 MS Dhoni

The former India wicketkeeper batter was the perfect finisher for Chennai Super Kings and did the job consistently. The former India skipper scored 5082 runs while batting at no 6 or 7 at a strike rate of 135.92 and an average of 38.79.

The right-hander dominated the opposition bowlers with his destructive batting. “Captain Cool” as he is fondly called was temperamentally calm and destructive during demanding situations.

2 AB De Villiers

Mr 360 degrees as he was fondly called had all the shots in the book. The former right-hander’s 133 in 59 balls against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium was just amazing. De Villiers’ batting revolved around timing and power.

The former South African batter scored 5162 runs in 184 IPL games averaging 39.71 with a strike rate of 151.69 registering 3 centuries and 49 half centuries.

3 Kieron Pollard

Arguably one of the most destructive hitters in the history of the tournament, Pollard has played some of the most fascinating knocks in IPL’s history. The 37-year-old Trinidadian scored 87 in 34 balls against Chennai Super Kings in 2021 in Delhi helping Mumbai Indians chase a big target of 219.

The right-hander scored 3412 runs in 189 IPL games at an average of 28.67 and a strike rate of 147.32. His strong bottom hand helped him generate the power to hit some big sixes.

See also: List of First Centurions of Each IPL Season ft Sanju Samson

4 Andre Russell

The Burly Trinidadian smashed the bowlers out of the park as he wasn’t afraid to take risks while chasing big targets. The 35-year-old began his IPL career with Delhi Daredevils in 2012 and later was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014.

The right-hander has played some outstanding knocks while batting at no 6 and 7. He scored 2262 runs in 112 IPL games with an average of 29.00 and a strike rate of 174.00.

5 Glenn Maxwell

Arguably one of the most dominating finishers in modern-day cricket, Glenn Maxwell’s unorthodox hitting has made him a nightmare for the bowlers. The 35-year-old began his IPL career for Mumbai Indians in 2012 and later on played for Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

During the 2014 season, the Australian right-hander scored 514 runs while playing for Punjab Kings. He has played some sensational knocks as a finisher scoring 2719 runs in 127 IPL games at an average of 26.4 and a strike rate of 157.62.