Top 10 Best Finisher In Cricket Of All Time

According to cricketing experts and stats display, MS Dhoni is certainly the Best Finisher In Cricket. There have been many incidents where Dhoni has single-handedly taken India to victory. 

With that being mentioned, The result of any cricket match depends majorly on how well a team finishes while batting. With the increasing role of finishers across different formats, many players have stepped forward, handling the job perfectly for their team.

Having said that, anyone who has followed international cricket at some point in the 21st century knows how great MS Dhoni has played his role as a finisher for India. AB De Villiers from South Africa and West Indian legend Vivian Richards have also impacted cricket as excellent finishers. Read on to find some of the great finishers of cricket the world has ever seen.

Best Finisher In Cricket 

Rank Best Finisher      CountryRuns
1MS DhoniIndiaTest – 4876ODI – 10773T20I –  1617
2AB De VilliersSouth AfricaTest – 4853ODI – 8857T20I – 1293
3Vivian RichardsWest IndiesTest – 8540ODI – 6721
4Michael BevanAustraliaTest – 4172ODI – 6912
5Shahid AfridiPakistanTest – 1716ODI – 8064T20I – 1416
6Michael HussyAustraliaTest – 6235ODI – 5442T20I – 721
7Jos ButtlerEnglandTest – 2907ODI – 4245T20I – 2227
8Kieron PollardWest IndiesODI – 2706T20I – 1569
9Abdul RazzaqPakistanTest – 1946ODI – 5080T20I – 393
10Javed MiandadPakistanTest – 8832ODI – 7381

While the debate about the best finisher in the world still goes on, here’s a rundown of the top 10 best finishers of cricket: 

MS Dhoni 

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right – Handed Batsman / Wicketkeeper
  • Matches Played: 90 Tests/ 350 ODIs/ 98 T20Is
  • Runs Scored: Test – 4876/ ODI – 10773/ T20I – 1617

MS Dhoni is the worshiped God of cricket in India. Dhoni has been the absolute subject of favorable criticism over the years.

He is known as Captain Cool and the master of finishing a game and taking his team over the line in even worse situations.

The masterclass of Dhoni from the 2011 World Cup Final was an absolute gem, and he has been playing such cameos throughout his career in international cricket. 

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AB De Villiers

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right – Handed Batsman / Wicketkeeper
  • Matches Played: 84 Tests/ 167 ODIs/ 73 T20Is
  • Runs Scored: Test – 4853/ ODI – 8857/ T20I – 1293

De Villiers is the king of the limited-over format and is regarded as the 360 degrees player of cricket.

His ability to change gears easily and smooth transitions through switch-hits and lap shots is what separates him from other players.

Moreover, he can play different kinds of games at different times for his team and handle pressure with utmost diligence. 

Vivian Richards 

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right – Right-Handed Batsman / Right-Arm Off-Break Bowler
  • Matches Played: 124 Tests/ 187 ODIs
  • Runs Scored: Test – 8540/ ODI – 6721

Vivian Richards is an all-rounder cricketer with a great reputation as a game legend.

However, when it came to finishing, Vivian was an absolute pleasure to watch with his great ability to read the game smoothly.

The fact that he has scored more than 15000 runs throughout his career shows how dominant he was in his batting style. 

Michael Bevan

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right-Handed Batsman / Off-Break Bowler
  • Matches Played: 114 Tests/ 232 ODIs
  • Runs Scored: Test – 4172/ ODI – 6912

Michael Bevan is the best example of how cricket has evolved with time.

This Australian cricketer was exceptionally famous for finishing the game with his innovative batting style (especially when finishing a test match).

He was regarded as ‘The Finisher’ because he could finish the game with great consistency. 

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Shahid Afridi

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right – Handed Batsman / Left-Arm Spinner
  • Matches Played: 27 Tests/ 398 ODIs/ 99 T20Is
  • Runs Scored: Test – 1716/ ODI – 8064/ T20I – 1416

Afridi is a Pakistani cricketer who has been the main finisher for Pakistan. He can change his game according to the situation and is known for telling a bowler what he wants to do.

Afridi was considered the World’s best finisher in both test and one-day formats. His nickname, “Boom Boom,” define perfectly his destructive style of batting that most bowlers feared. 

Michael Hussey

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right Handed Batsman / Left Arm Bowler
  • Matches Played: 79 Tests/ 185 ODIs/ 38 T20Is
  • Runs Scored: Test – 6235/ ODI – 5442/ T20I – 721

Hussey is well-known for his great finishing ability. He can usually finish a test match by himself and take the team over the line.

One of the best finishers in cricket, Hussey was also known for his calm composure when batting during World Cup 2011.

He helped Australia win a match against Sri Lanka twice in big circumstances and many other times. 

Jos Buttler

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right Handed Batsman / Wicket-Keeper
  • Matches Played: 57 Tests/ 157 ODIs/ 94 T20Is
  • Runs Scored: Test – 2907/ ODI – 4245/ T20I – 2227

Jos Buttler is an English cricketer and one of the most entertaining finishers in the game of cricket.

His record as a finisher is rated extremely high because he has done it so many times for his team.

The fact that he scored a hundred in just 48 balls for England against India in the 2014 World Cup shows how dangerous he can get when batsmen are together at the crease. 

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Kieron Pollard

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right – Handed Batsman / Left-Arm Slow Bowler
  • Matches Played: 123 ODIs/ 101 T20Is
  • Runs Scored:  ODI – 2706/ T20I – 1569

Pollard is a West Indian cricketer, and his talent as a batsman and fielder is unquestionable. He is also a great finisher when he is at the crease.

Pollard’s ability to finish a game well has been the reason for many West Indies’ wins.

He has been part of several limited over-series victories for his team because of his low-scoring rate and ability to build a partnership with his opening batsmen.

Abdul Razzaq

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right Handed Batsman / Leg-Spinner
  • Matches Played: 46 Tests/ 265 ODIs/ 32 T20Is
  • Runs Scored: Test – 1946/ ODI – 5080/ T20I – 393

Razzaq was a fast bowler during the early stages of his career, but he turned into an ultra-aggressive batsman with power-hitting capabilities for Pakistan cricketing team.

He was a great reason for the success of Pakistan in several world cup victories as well. He was known to finish the game off with his cameos and for his ability to score at a quick pace.  

Javed Miandad

Best Finisher In Cricket
  • Position: Right-handed batsman / Leg-Spinner
  • Matches Played: 124 Tests/ 233 ODIs
  • Runs Scored: Test – 8832/ ODI – 7381

The most powerful batsman in the history of cricket is Miandad, and he was a great reason for Pakistan’s success in both test and limited-over matches.

As a finisher, his record was unparalleled; despite losing a game, he could score up to 250 runs on some occasions.

He used to score runs with great consistency but wasn’t as dependable as other players because of his batting style (dependable but not consistent).

Frequently Asked Question

Q1. Who is the God of a finisher?

The God of a finisher is MS Dhoni because of his ability to remain composed even under tough circumstances and clinch victory over the opposition.

Q2. Who is the cricket king?

When we talk about the king of cricket, most cricket fans and experts agree that Virat Kohli is the greatest of all time. He has been splendid across different formats of the game with his consistence performance.

Q3. Who is the God of wicketkeepers?

MS Dhoni, with lightning-fast hands and a great presence of mind, is the God of all wicketkeepers. He had it all, including the ability to score runs and affect many stumping for the team.

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