This is a term used for a batter who has the ability to be able to keep calm and seal run chases which look improbable. The finisher needs more than hitting those big sixes. This includes match awareness, strike rotation, hitting boundaries, playing under pressure and calculating the required run rate.
In the last few years, several players like MS Dhoni, Michael Bevan, AB de Villiers, Jos Buttler and Andre Russell along with Hardik Pandya have established themselves in this category; as finishers. They have been various throughout the decades and different formats.
What Is a Finisher in Cricket?
A finisher tends to bat in the middle or lower-middle order, and is required to perform during the last few overs of an innings.
In ODI cricket, this role is that of a finisher who may take time to accelerate when games are on the line in later 10–15 overs. T20 cricket can be a much more arduous role, with a batter having just 3-4 deliveries to affect the match.
Important finishing skills include:
- High strike rate
- Boundary-hitting ability
- Running between wickets
- Calculating the required run rate
- Handling pressure
- Reading bowling matchups
- Protecting the wicket when necessary
- Accelerating at the right time
So having a high batting average is not sufficient to say that they are good finishers.
MS Dhoni: One of Cricket’s Most Recognized Finishers
The best finisher on the planet is probably a name mentioned more than any other – MS Dhoni.
As per numbers released by the ICC, Dhoni ended his international career with 17,266 runs in 538 games. You also became a member of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2025.
His ODI numbers are particularly impressive.
| ODI Statistic | MS Dhoni |
| Matches | 350 |
| Runs | 10,773 |
| Average | 50.58 |
| Highest Score | 183* |
| Centuries | 10 |
| Half-centuries | 73 |
| Sixes | 229 |
| Strike Rate | 87.56 |
The last of the two, Dhoni’s 183* against Sri Lanka is still the highest ODI score by a wicketkeeper in men’s international cricket.
And while he made his name as a run-chase finisher. According to ICC, Dhoni was not out in 30 of India’s 49 successful ODI chases at one point of his career.
He is best known for his match winning display of an unbeaten 91 in the 2011 Cricket World Cup final where he hit the winning six against Sri Lanka.
Michael Bevan: A Classic ODI Finisher
Michael Bevan was one of the best ODI finishers of his time.
The Australian southpaw featured in 232 ODIs to score 6912 runs at an average of around 53.58.
It was a different style finish from the modern power hitting see we very often More!!! Rather than basing his entire game around sixes, he was working on:
- Rotating the strike
- Finding gaps
- Running between wickets
- Maintaining the required run rate
- Staying unbeaten
- Attacking when necessary
This also made him a particular weapon at the back and end of ODIs, as he was someone who had sufficient experience to run chases easily.
One of the famous last-ball four he struck against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground, is considered one of ODI finishing moments.
AB de Villiers: 360-Degree Batting
AB de Villiers (Ui — SA) Ab de Villiers introduced an unorthodox manner of limited-overs cricket.
Also, the shots he could play all around the ground were especially dangerous during the last stages of a run chase. He could hit fast bowlers and spinners alike, being able to score boundaries through regions of the field unencumbered by traditional batting methods.
His ODI career included:
| ODI Statistic | AB de Villiers |
| Matches | 228 |
| Runs | 9,577 |
| Average | 53.50 |
| Centuries | 25 |
| Strike Rate | 101.09 |
What was particularly impressive was that he had a strike rate of over 100 in ODI cricket for a career that spanned much of the era where ODIs were played at far lower run rates.
But De Villiers wasn’t only a finisher. He batted at both ends of the order and posted several hundreds during his career.
Jos Buttler: Modern White-Ball Finisher
Jos Buttler is the modern breed of attacking white-ball batsman
He has considerable experience of playing both ODI and T20 cricket, is able to combine a high rate with the discipline to bat in various positions.
As things stand, Buttler has scored 5,578 ODI runs and 4,384 T20 runs in his career. His T20I strike rate is pretty much above 150.
His T20 statistics include:
| T20 Statistic | Jos Buttler |
| Matches | 163 |
| Runs | 4,384 |
| Average | 34.79 |
| Strike Rate | 150.14 |
| Sixes | 192 |
| Centuries | 2 |
Finishing and power hitting become crucial in franchise cricket too, which is where Buttler has also been an important player.
Unlike most finishers who typically come into bat in the final overs, he’s capable of launching from the word go or picking up pace deeper in an innings.
Andre Russell: Explosive T20 Finisher
Andre Russell is a known power finisher in T20 cricket.
He has mostly been walking in at some middle or latter part of the innings and raising the run-rate immediately.
Russell’s finishing style heavily depends on:
- Six-hitting
- Powerful stroke play
- High strike rates
- Death-over batting
- Attacking fast bowling
- Short but high-impact innings
Russell’s value is probably clearer in T20 cricket, where, unlike ODI finishers who usually must bat for at least 20 deliveries to make a difference to the result.
That makes him another option for teams because, with the ball and in the field, he can also help out all-round.
Hardik Pandya: India’s Modern Finishing Option
On the other hand, Hardik Pandya has also cemented his spot as a key middle-order batsman and an all-action finisher for not just India but in franchise cricket too.
His batting role has changed from time to time but he has often been used as a middle or death overs accelerator.
His finishing skills include:
- Six-hitting
- Attacking spin
- Playing fast bowlers
- Chasing high required run rates
- Building partnerships
- Accelerating during the death overs
He is a different permutation of finishers given his added bowling ability.
Comparison of Famous Finishers
| Player | Main Formats | Key Strength |
| MS Dhoni | ODI, T20 | Chase management and composure |
| Michael Bevan | ODI | Strike rotation and calculated chases |
| AB de Villiers | ODI, T20 | 360-degree shot-making |
| Jos Buttler | ODI, T20 | High strike rate and power |
| Andre Russell | T20 | Explosive six-hitting |
| Hardik Pandya | ODI, T20 | Power and all-round ability |
It’s impossible to do a one-to-one direct comparison of these statistics, as they played in different eras and formats.
Important Statistics for Measuring a Finisher
Finishing ability cannot be captured fully in any one statistic. Several numbers can be useful.
Strike Rate
Strike rate shows how fast a batter gets runs.
This is especially critical in T20 as every delivery matters a lot to the end score.
Not-Out Percentage
A regular finisher who stays not out is sometimes priceless, especially in successful targets.
Runs in Successful Chases
This stat aids in representing the impact a batter has while chasing.
Death-Over Strike Rate
This is the time when teams want to score as fast as possible, at least in this context — final overs. Removing the very highest runs per finish will not fully eliminate bias, but it does help — a batter’s scoring rate during this window can shed valuable light on finishing ability.
Boundary Percentage
The ratio of runs scored through fours and sixes assists to indicate whether the batter is a propensity creator or just a conventional hitter.
Finisher vs Power Hitter
There are many times that the terms finisher and power hitter have been used interchangeably as though they mean the same thing, but they do not.
A power hitter has a reputation that is mostly associated with boundaries scored at high frequency.
The role of a finisher goes beyond that.
A finisher may need to:
- Calculate the required run rate.
- Preserve wickets when necessary.
- Rotate the strike.
- Identify favorable matchups.
- Attack during the final overs.
- Complete the chase.
This is also how Michael Bevan can justifiably be viewed as an important finisher, despite being a world apart from the six-hitters we see today.
Also Read: India National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Stats | Godfather of Cricket
Why MS Dhoni’s Finishing Record Stands Out
Statistical superiority, high-profile displays and durability have drawn comparisons with the finishing reputations built around other cricketers.
scored 10773 ODI runs, had an ODI batting average of more than 50 and struck 229 sixes.
He is also the captain under whom India won three significant ICC limited-overs trophies:
- 2007 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
- 2011 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup
- 2013 ICC Champions Trophy
Dhoni’s legacy as one of the all-time greatest finishers in cricket has also been underlined by ICC.
As such, his working career is an illustration of how the art of finishing can consist of far more than just brute strength.
Is There an Official Best Finisher in the World?
Official ICC rankings do not list the “best in the world finisher”.
It is a phrase usually thrown around by fans, cricket writers, commentators and analysts.
Finishers play differing but sometimes overlapping roles [15]. There is also potential for receive bias due to differences in meaning and intent, thus harkening back to the fatalism of different comparisons yielding different results.
A look at ODI comparison could put more emphasis on successful chases and average, whereas a T20 comparison might weigh heavily towards strike rate and death-over scoring.
So we need to view statistics on the basis of format and role.
Conclusion
No statistical title yet several cricketers have been the best finishers in the world. MS Dhoni is the king of successful chases, Michael Bevan and AB de Villiers have lit up different styles in finishing up matches while Jos Buttler, Andre Russell and Hardik Pandya are of a different class altogether. It was during this point that matches were seen in a more traditional sense, and finishers needed to be measured distinctly from the total runs. Metrics such as strike rate, not outs, chase, death-over scoring, boundaries and match impact give good indicators.
FAQs
1. Top finisher in the world?
Chasing, not out scores and performances in major matches have made MS Dhoni one of the most known cricket finishers.
2. Who is the best ODI finisher?
In terms of finishing or chasing cause we will not get to see names like MS Dhoni and Michael Bevan.
3. Who is a modern T20 finisher?
You are taught on data up to October 2023.
4. And what is a good finisher in cricket?
A solid finisher is a multi-faceted skill, needing an understanding of the match situation, calm aggression, boundary hitting prowess, ability to rotate strike and run between wickets and most importantly poise under pressure.
5. The question is: why a finisher in the first place?
MS Dhoni got the Finisher tag thanks to successful chases, not out innings, strategic batting and big-hitting at the end.
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