In cricket, winning a match often comes down to the last few overs. This is the time when the pressure is at its highest. A “finisher” is a special kind of batsman who is an expert at batting during this high-pressure time. Their main job is to stay calm and lead their team to victory in the final moments of the game.
A great finisher knows exactly what to do. They know when to take a single run and when to hit a big six. They are like the hero in a movie who shows up at the end to save the day. This role is one of the hardest in cricket.
Let’s look at the 10 best finishers the world of cricket has ever seen.
10. Javed Miandad (Pakistan)
Javed Miandad was the original street fighter of cricket. He was tough, clever, and never, ever gave up. He was a master of chasing down totals and loved to be in a tough situation.
His most famous moment came in 1986 when he hit a six on the very last ball against India to win the match.
This one shot made him a hero forever and showed everyone what a great finisher he was. He was the man you wanted on your team in a close fight.
| Career Span | Country | Famous For | Key Moment |
| 1975-1996 | Pakistan | Fearless Attitude | Last-ball six vs India |
9. Lance Klusener (South Africa)
Lance Klusener was a big, strong all-rounder who could hit the ball incredibly hard. In the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he was almost unstoppable.
He won four matches for South Africa with his amazing finishing skills, earning him the “Player of the Tournament” award.
He would come in at the end of the innings with his big bat and start hitting fours and sixes from his first ball. For a short time, he was the most feared finisher in the world.
| Career Span | Country | Nickname | Best Known For |
| 1996-2004 | South Africa | “Zulu” | 1999 World Cup |
8. Andre Russell (West Indies)
When we talk about finishing in modern T20 cricket, Andre Russell’s name is at the top. “Dre Russ” is a powerhouse who can win a game in just one or two overs. He has amazing muscle power and can hit the biggest sixes you will ever see.
He is a true match-winner in leagues like the IPL and for the West Indies. When he is at the crease in the last few overs, no target feels safe.
| Career Span | Country | Famous For | Main Skill |
| 2011-Present | West Indies | T20 Finishing | Pure Power Hitting |
7. Jos Buttler (England)
Jos Buttler is one of the most creative and dangerous finishers in modern cricket. Like AB de Villiers, he can hit the ball all around the ground (which is why he is called a “360-degree” player).
He can be very calm and then suddenly explode with a flurry of boundaries. He has won many games for England in both ODI and T20 cricket by staying until the very end and playing unbelievable shots under pressure.
| Career Span | Country | Special Skill | Known For |
| 2011-Present | England | 360-Degree Hitting | Winning matches from any situation |
6. Virat Kohli (India)
While most finishers are lower-order batsmen, Virat Kohli is different. He is a top-order batsman who has mastered the art of finishing a run chase. He has the best average of any batsman in successful ODI run chases.
He plans the chase like a computer, knows exactly how to pace his innings, and often stays until the end to hit the winning runs. His ability to score a hundred while chasing a big total makes him a unique and all-time great finisher.
| Career Span | Country | Nickname | Best Skill |
| 2008-Present | India | “The Chase Master” | Finishing chases with centuries |
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
AB de Villiers was a genius who could do things no other batsman could. As a finisher, he was a nightmare for bowlers because you could never set a field for him. He could hit a perfect yorker for a six over the wicket-keeper’s head.
He could finish games by scoring very fast (like his 31-ball hundred) or by playing smart cricket. His amazing skills made him one of the most exciting and effective finishers ever.
| Career Span | Country | Nickname | Special Skill |
| 2004-2018 | South Africa | “Mr. 360” | Hitting the ball everywhere |
4. Michael Hussey (Australia)
Michael Hussey was the perfect professional, which is why he was called “Mr. Cricket.” He was an expert at finishing games because he was so calm and smart.
He would come in when his team was in trouble, run hard between the wickets, and hit boundaries at just the right time.
His most famous finish was in the 2010 T20 World Cup, where he scored 22 runs in just 4 balls to win an “unwinnable” match against Pakistan.
| Career Span | Country | Nickname | Known For |
| 2004-2013 | Australia | “Mr. Cricket” | Being calm and reliable |
3. Abdul Razzaq (Pakistan)
Abdul Razzaq was one of the cleanest and most powerful hitters of a cricket ball. For Pakistan, he was the go-to man in a crisis at the end of an innings.
He had a simple game plan: see the ball, hit the ball. He played many unbelievable innings to win matches for Pakistan from impossible situations.
His hundred against South Africa in 2010, where he hit Dale Steyn for huge sixes, is considered one of the greatest finishing innings of all time.
| Career Span | Country | Famous For | Key Skill |
| 1996-2013 | Pakistan | Incredible power-hitting | Winning matches single-handedly |
2. Michael Bevan (Australia)
Michael Bevan was the man who created the role of the modern finisher. He was not a big power-hitter, but he was a genius. He would stay calm, take single runs, and turn bad balls into fours.
He would always calculate the chase perfectly in his head. He had an incredible ODI batting average of over 53, which was unheard of for a middle-order batsman at that time.
He won countless games for Australia from very difficult positions, and for many years, he was the best finisher in the world.
| Career Span | Country | Title | Best Skill |
| 1994-2004 | Australia | “The Original Finisher” | The master of ODI run chases |
1. MS Dhoni (India)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is, without a doubt, the greatest finisher in the history of cricket. He was the master of staying calm, even when the pressure was at its peak.
His brain worked like a supercomputer. He would take the game to the very last over, back himself, and then hit a huge six to win the match.
His helicopter shot became famous all over the world. The greatest example of his finishing skill was the 2011 World Cup final, where he hit a massive six to win the trophy for India after 28 years. He did this time and time again, earning the title of the ultimate finisher.
| Career Span | Country | Title | Known For |
| 2004-2019 | India | “The Ultimate Finisher” | Calmness and hitting the winning six |
What is the main job of a finisher in cricket?
A finisher’s main job is to bat at the end of the match (especially when chasing a score) and guide their team to victory. They need to be calm and play smart cricket under pressure.
What is the difference between a “finisher” and a “slogger”?
A “slogger” is a batsman who just tries to hit every ball for a four or a six without much of a plan. A “finisher” is much smarter. A finisher knows how to handle pressure, take single runs, and choose the right ball to hit for a boundary.
