Best Finisher in the World: Top 10 Greatest Finishers in Cricket (2025)

Cricket is a sport that truly proves the saying, "If the end is well, everything is well. As it doesn't matter how a team has started their inning, it can be a good start or a bad start. The most important thing is how you finish the innings, and finishing an inning on a high note is one of the most difficult tasks in cricket.

But how difficult can it be to finish an inning? It can be understood by the fact that there are very few players in the history of cricket who have done it consistently throughout their careers. Players like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Michael Bevan are among the greatest finishers in the history of cricket, but to be on this list wasn't so easy for them as well.

Over the period of time, the way of finishing an inning has changed drastically, however, the core meaning of finishing remained the same. The emergence of T20 cricket has influenced the way of finishing an innings. In this article, we will try to find the answer to who is the best finisher in the world? With the help of a statistical comparison among some of the best finisher in the world.

How We Ranked the Best Finishers in Cricket

We will be ranking the best finisher in the world according to the ranking factors, We are taking their match-winning ability, consistency, and impact. In this article, we dive into the top 10 world best finisher in cricket.

• Death-overs Strike rate (SR 17-20 overs): The strike rate of finishers is generally higher than the other players; however, the strike rate in pressure scenarios matters the most for any good finisher.
• Boundary% in last three overs: The last three overs of the game are where the result of the match gets determined, and the higher the boundary percentage of a finisher, the better the chances of winning the match.
• Average when chasing: As we have already mentioned, finishing is a very difficult task. It requires a huge amount of risk, which is why most of the finishers don't have a higher batting average, but those who are good at finishing remain not out and take the team to victory in the case of chasing. Players like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have an average of over 50 while chasing.
• Pressure index (runs in < 24 balls needed): In the last four overs, the pressure is at its peak, and that is when a good finisher steps in to win the game for their team.
• Match-winning innings (30+ runs coming at No. 5-7): A cricketer is called a good finisher when they start playing impactful innings for the team in a winning cause.

List of Top 10 World Best Finisher in Cricket

Finishing has been the toughest job for the batters. Most of the batters in cricket give the start and anchor the innings, but they fail to provide a proper finish to their innings, which leads to a 30-40 run short in the match.

In world cricket, there have been some of the best finishers across the globe who have changed the course of the match with their match-winning finishing ability. We've listed the top 10 world best finisher in cricket.

Who is the Best Finisher in the World?

The best finisher in the history of cricket is MS Dhoni. He is famous for staying calm under pressure and winning matches in the final overs. His powerful hitting and smart decisions made him the best when it came to finishing games.

10. Shahid Afridi | Pakistan

Shahid Afridi was a match-winner for the side. During his time, he was one of the most dangerous batters in the Pakistan lineup. His skill at playing shots from the first ball made him different from others. He has also contributed with the ball in the limited-overs cricket for the Men in Green. He remained a solid striker of the ball throughout his career.

Despite starting his career as an opener for the Men in Green, he later shifted to the middle order for the side. He was known for his explosive finishing ability and huge hits. He has been a sensational leg spinner as well. His match-winning ability has been seen in various games and competitions across the globe.

9. Michael Hussey | Australia

Mike Hussey, also known as Mr. Cricket, did not have a long career for Australia. But the time he played for the Aussies across formats, he excelled in every format for the Kangaroos. His match-winning innings against Pakistan in the 2010 World Cup is still one of the best knocks in T20 cricket and the 20-over World Cup as well.

Hussey has been a middle-order batter and came when the team needed to finish the game off quickly or set some big targets. He had the range of big hitting and thus set him apart from the rest of the Aussie batters who used to anchor the innings and could not finish the innings by scoring 70-80 runs towards the business end. His hard-hitting skills made him one of the best finishers of all time.

8. Lance Klusner | South Africa

Lance Klusener was known as one of the most brilliant finishers in the history of cricket for his skill at pressing the boundaries for runs and winning matches in all kinds of situations. He was South Africa’s go-to guy for winning matches at crunch times during the late 1990s and early 2000s; he delivered clutch innings full of courage and aggression - the perfect combination for winning an ODI match.

Klusener 's heroics during the 1999 Cricket World Cup are legendary, and he was voted Player of the Tournament for his outstanding all-round cricket. His ability to run up scores in the closing overs and to chase difficult targets with controlled aggression set him apart, and he was one of the dangerous batsmen of the lower order of that time. This made him one of the best finishers in cricket.

7. David Miller | South Africa

David Miller has been one of the finest batters for South Africa in limited-overs cricket. He has played some of the crucial knocks for the side during their batting collapse, and most of the knocks have come in losing causes. But he remains one of the best finishers in world cricket. Miller is one of the other South Africans who have been on the list.

Miller also knows how to anchor the innings when required and finish the matches in style. He has been a match winner for the Proteas over several years and also the backbone of the middle order for the country. Despite not winning any trophies, his performance under pressure has been excellent. This is why he has been named in this list.

6. Andre Russell | West Indies

Andre Russell has been one of the hardest hitters of the ball. Even the bowlers are terrified with his hitting skills and nig muscles power. The Windies all-rounder has displayed match-winning knocks in the limited-overs format for the Island nation. He has changed the course of the game while playing some amazing knocks and won games from nowhere for the side.

Even the umpires are scared if the ball comes straight and hits them; it's very dangerous. He ranks among the most dangerous batters in T20 cricket. The big Jamaican man also bowls at a pace of 140kph, and his all-round ability and consistent match-winning ability rank him among the best finishers in world cricket.

5. Kieron Pollard | West Indies

Kieron Pollard has long been remembered for his impressive six-hitting ability that can change a game in one over. He always has a strike rate of over 175 in T20 internationals, a strong finisher who can do wonders with the bat. Pollard has won many matches for the West Indies and the Mumbai Indians at the right times. His excellent record and clutch exploits have helped his teams overcome crucial matches.

Beyond the number aspect, his T20 international experience has been an invigorating factor in his finishing. Whether it be setting or chasing objectives, Pollard's presence at the middle of the order ensures fireworks for all involved and makes him one of the world's best finishers. He has won T20 World Cups with the West Indies and played crucial roles in various T20 competitions. This is why he is one of the world best finisher in cricket.

4. Hardik Pandya | India

Hardik Pandya has been a clutch player for India. He has been the lucky charm for the Men in Blue. He has taken on the responsibility of scoring runs towards the business end of the innings and guided India to some massive totals. However, he can also play crucial knocks and anchor the innings if early wickets fall.

Pandya has been a consistent performer for the Men in Blue in recent years. He earned himself as the main player in the side and showcased some brilliant hitting skills during the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy and previously in the T20 World Cup 2024 as well. He has also given 8-10 crucial overs for the side. This is why he is one of the best finishers in cricket.

3. Michael Beven | Australia

Michael Bevan has been widely accepted as one of the great finishers in the history of cricket with his astounding consistency, poise and ability to win match after match. Bevan – unlike today’s power hitters – used his strategic placement and quick running, combined with his accurate aim, to track down an amazing number of targets with such ease and to lead Australia to victory. The best part of Bevan's innings was his ability to remain calm under pressure. He could bat from the start and finish the game. He helped to keep Australia unbeaten and eventually led them to victory. He was an important part of Australia’s middle order for several years. He was not the one to let anyone get away with batting after making them carry the load for long periods. This is the reason he stands as the best finisher in the world.

2. AB de Villiers | South Africa

AB de Villiers, known as ‘Mr.360’ of cricket, was a sensational batter across formats. He was named so because of his ability to play shots all around the ground and his unorthodox style of play. He dominated the white ball cricket like no one during his prime time. He has been better known for his unorthodox style of playing.

De Villiers' had numerous shots in his bag, and his hitting skills made him one of the best South African batters of all time. He has the record for scoring the fastest century in ODI cricket. This showcases his ability to hit the balls hard and finish off the innings well. This ranks him in the top 3 best finisher in the world.

1. MS Dhoni | India

MS Dhoni, the former India captain, has been one of the finest skippers of all time. He is the only captain to win all three ICC Trophies. He led the side for many years and built a legacy as a captain. Not only was he a leader during fielding, but with the bat as well. His match-winning ability with the bat has been unmatched till now. Dhoni's calm mind and his ability to take the game deep made him different. Dhoni, at the age of 43, continues to play cricket.

He still can finish the innings for his side and win the games as well. The wicket-keeper batter has played several match-winning knocks for the Men in Blue and taken them out of crunch situations single-handedly. His match-winning knock in the World Cup 2011 final remains his best finishing knock of all time. This is why he is the world no 1 best finisher in cricket.

Who is the Best Finisher in the World Right Now?

Who is the best finisher in the world? That's a tough question to answer, many players are in contention for this. However, hard-hitting Pandya stands tall above all. Hence, we can say Hardik Pandya is the world no 1 best finisher in cricket right now. He stands out as the premier finisher in world cricket, particularly in white ball cricket. His consistent performances under pressure, especially during the death overs, have made his reputation as one of the dangerous batters in the death overs. Recently, Pandya surpassed both MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli to become India's top run-scorer in T20IS during the 16–20 overs phase, accumulating 1,068 runs at a great strike rate of 174.23.

Here is the list of the best finisher in the world right now: