The Indian Premier League is a men’s Twenty20 cricket league held annually in India. The league usually takes place during the summer, between March and May each year. A finisher in cricket is a batsman whose most important task is to bail their side out of tough situations by keeping their composure and blowing the opposition away in the death overs. To gain the title of best finisher in IPL is not an easy task as it requires a combination of skill, temperament and experience.
To become a great finisher, one needs to handle pressure well. This helps some cricketers become the best finisher in IPL. MS Dhoni is considered one of the best finishers in the IPL. He is also in the list of players with most Man of the Match in IPL due to his excellent batting in the death overs.
In this article, we look at the list of IPL best finishers in the game and the year in which they made their IPL debut and of course what earned them the title of best finisher in IPL history.
Best Finishers in IPL History
It is a fact that MS Dhoni is the world best finisher in IPL in the death overs. MS Dhoni is recognised as the greatest finisher the world has ever seen as he is known for being calm and composed even in the most difficult situations while also leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five titles and also played numerous memorable knocks in the tournament throughout the years. CSK is one of the top teams to hit the most sixes by a team in IPL 2024.
Dhoni is crowned as the best finisher in cricket IPL due to his numerous finishes in the tournament’s death overs. Some of his best finishes in IPL include the 2010 IPL where he scored a remarkable 54 runs against the Kings XI Punjab for his team.
CSK managed to chase down 193 runs to keep themselves in the tournament in Dharamsala. His IPL career has been amazing, to say the least.
His other memorable knock which truly marked him as the best finisher in IPL history was during a match in 2018 when he helped CSK chase down 206 runs against RCB at the Chinnaswamy Stadium by scoring 70 runs in just 34 balls.
This was one of his best IPL knock. Dhoni will also be playing for Chennai Super Kings team again in IPL 2024 games, which is probably his last season.
Dhoni has played 250 matches in his league career. The runs scored by the batter is 5082 at an average of 38.79 and a strike rate of 135.92. Hence the answer to the question: who is the best finisher in IPL? MS Dhoni is one of the IPL’s best finishers in the death overs thanks to his hard-hitting ability and high strike rate. He is also capable of hitting the winning runs off the very last ball.
Besides CSK’s most prominent player, several other stars have come close to being regarded as the top finishers in the tournament. These include the likes of David Miller, Andre Russell, AB de Villiers, Kieron Pollard, all dangerous in this fast paced format of the game.
This season, teams like Delhi Daredevils have struggled while others like Gujarat Titans have been scoring runs freely. Players like David Miller are also expected to deliver this season.
Top 5 finisher in IPL History
Below is a list of the top 5 best finishers in IPL history:
1. MS Dhoni
Dhoni led the CSK to a number of titles and also has played numerous memorable knocks throughout the tournament, even earning the title of best finisher in IPL history. His iconic knock was during the 2018 match where Dhoni played for the CSK against the RCB at the Chinnaswamy stadium in which Dhoni guided the CSK to chase 206 runs and smashed an unbeaten 70 runs off 34 balls. He is considered to be among the world’s greatest finishers in IPL history, playing great knocks for his teams.
2. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers is one of the best finishers in the IPL history who can score big. He also holds the record for the fastest century in the ODI (31 balls). AB de Villiers’ most iconic knock was in 2015 when he scored an unbeaten 133 runs off just 59 balls against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede stadium, earning himself the spot of one of the best finishers in IPL history. AB de Villiers is also one of the players to score the fastest century in IPL history.
3. Kieron Pollard
Former West Indies player Kieron Pollard was one of the greatest power-hitters who could turn the match around single-handedly. Kieron Pollard made his debut in 2010 for Mumbai Indians team and was one of the main players of the team throughout the years. Kieron Pollard’s best IPL knock earning himself a spot amongst the world best finisher in IPL came in 2021 when he scored an iconic 87 runs off 34 balls against the Chennai Super Kings.
4. Andre Russell
Andre Russell is a middle order batsman who can score quick runs and win matches. He has been among the best finishers in IPL history throughout the years. His best innings is 88 runs against CSK in IPL 2018. Russell scored 2262 runs in 112 matches after his Indian Premier League debut at an average of 29.00 and a remarkable strike rate of 174.00 making him one of the best finishers in IPL history.
5. Glenn Maxwell
The Australian batter Glenn Maxwell is one of IPL best finisher in the world. All these years, he is a player who could change the momentum of the match with his remarkable batting skills. His best IPL performance was in 2014 where he amassed a remarkable 514 runs for Punjab carrying the team into their first-ever IPL final. He is one of the best players in the league with the most runs scored for his team.
Top Batsmen in IPL 2024
The list below includes the top batsmen of IPL 2024 season, including those with the most runs.
|
Team |
Player |
Runs |
4s |
6s |
|
RCB |
Virat Kohli |
500 |
46 |
20 |
|
CSK |
Ruturaj Gaikwad |
447 |
48 |
13 |
|
GT |
Sai Sudharsan |
418 |
43 |
9 |
|
LSG |
K.L Rahul |
406 |
37 |
15 |
|
DC |
Rishabh Pant |
398 |
31 |
24 |
|
KKR |
Phil Salt |
392 |
44 |
22 |
|
RR |
Sanju Samson |
385 |
36 |
17 |
|
KKR |
Sunil Narine |
372 |
40 |
24 |
|
CSK |
Shivam Das |
350 |
24 |
26 |
|
MI |
Tilak Varma |
343 |
24 |
18 |
Aside from the players mentioned, there are many other star players who have made a name for themselves in this season’s league. Some are also making their IPL debut this season and looks like they have a promising IPL career.
Indian Premier League T20 Betting
With the 2024 IPL season reaching the business end of the tournament, those interested in making some extra money can take part in T20 betting. Betting exchanges such as Indibet offer reliable, hassle-free betting opportunities for punters.
So, if you’re looking to make money while you enjoy all the action live, you can begin taking part in T20 betting. Some of the most popular types of T20 betting include Match Betting, Tied Match, Series Winner, Outright Winner, Win Toss, Toss Combination, and Odd or Even Run Scores.
There are also many other types of cricket T20 bets that you can place. However, it is important to do your research before placing bets in the league. That said, choose the type of T20 bet that suits you most and if possible, try competing across multiple markets to increase your chances of winning.
FAQs on best finisher in the IPL
Who is the best finisher in IPL history in death overs?
MS Dhoni is without a doubt IPL best finisher. Based on his individual performance with the bat over the years, Dhoni has been considered the best finisher in the league.
Who is the King of the IPL?
Virat Kohli is the highest run scorer in the IPL with 7263 runs in 237 matches.
