Top 5 finishers among active players in international cricket

You might not find a finisher in the list of leading run scorers, but his impactful knock towards the end of the innings is what a team needs in any match or tournament. In a scenario where the value of players is measured by the runs they score, the contribution of such power hitters is often overlooked. 

Advertisment

A finisher's responsibilities are to get their team out of trouble when early wickets fall, to ensure their team finishes with a competitive total if batting first, and to get the team over the line if batting in the second innings. Holding their nerve and delivering the unthinkable in high-pressure situations is not everyone's cup of tea. Michael Bevan, Shahid Afridi, AB de Villiers and MS Dhoni are a few examples of dangerous finishers in the history of the game. 

In this article, we take a look at the top 5 finishers among active players in international cricket

5. Iftikhar Ahmed

Advertisment

Iftikhar Ahmed is the strength of Pakistan in the middle order. The right-hander is capable of taking the game away from his opponents with his powerful hitting. He has an average of 38.38 and a strike rate of 106.6 in ODI cricket. In T20Is, the right-hander averages 28.07 and has a strike rate of 132.57. 

4. Hardik Pandya

Advertisment

Hardik Pandya is being considered as a replacement for MS Dhoni in India's finisher role. Pandya has the ability to stay calm under pressure and pull off incredible chases. He rose to fame with Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has maintained his reputation internationally. The batting all-rounder averages 34.02 and has a staggering strike rate of 110.36 in the 50-over format. In T20s, Pandya averages 25.43 and strikes at 139.83. 

3. David Miller 

David Miller's ability to snatch the game away from his opponents with some ruthless blows earned him the nickname 'Killer Miller'. Miller's presence in the lower middle order will give South Africa confidence if they lose early wickets and at the same time a nightmare for the opposition bowlers. The left-hander boasts an impressive average of 42.3 and a stunning strike rate of 102.9. in ODI cricket. His stats in the shortest format are also impressive, with an average of 34.12 and a strike rate of 144.78. 

2. Glenn Phillips

The New Zealand middle-order batter is known for his aggressive batting against spinners and pace bowlers. Glenn Phillips has emerged as a vital component of the Black Caps' limited-overs side. The right-hander averages 35 and has a healthy strike rate of 97.48 in the 50-over format. In T20s, Phillips averages 32.46 and strikes at 145.47.

1. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell's ability to score all around the park is a headache for opposition bowlers. The power-hitter can single-handedly win matches for Australia on his day, and we've seen that many times over the years. Maxi averages 35.41 and strikes at 126.91 in the 50-over format, while the numbers are more impressive in T20Is - 29.55 average and 153.1 strike rate.