Best Five Finishers in ODI Cricket

Cricket is all about winning a match, to win a match you need to either outscore your opponent and win by a number of wickets or Chase down the target laid by your opponent. Winning by wickets is a job well done by the bowlers but, the later is a very demanding, tough and pressure building method for chasing a target successfully you really need to get going from the start but the job is not done till the last run is scored. Chasing involves its share of high-pressure moments, where despite the climbing required run-rate the batsman needs to stay calm, control their nerve of going for the big hit and get through with patience. This being such an important part of winning a match we bring to you a list of five men who have beaten the odds and have helped their teams win matches with their individual ability to score runs when they are needed the most.

No 1. MS Dhoni (India)

MS Dhoni the right-handed wicketkeeper batsman defines the word handling pressure, keeping cool, holding nerves and finishing an innings. Dhoni has the highest average of 104 in the 60 innings he has batted In successful run chases averaging over 105 is an achievement in itself and if it is while batting second in the pressure situation you have to give it to the man. The Indian Skipper is well known for his destructive batting which can murder any bowling attack at the same time his cool headedness is an asset of everyone’s envy too. Summing it up Dhoni rotates the strike when he is new at the crease, always ready to put away the loose deliveries and once he has decided to go for the kill no matter who the bowler is no matter where he is bowling he is going to get hit. The most famous and most loved innings of his has to be the 2011 World Cup Finals where he came in, in a tough situation and bailed India out of it and won the match with a magnificent SIX. These abilities of his ensure a victory for the team whenever he is at the crease and it makes it sufficient for him to top the list of Best Five Finishers in ODI Cricket.

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No 2. MG Bevan(Australia)

MG Bevan the left-hand batsman hailing from Australia is always termed as one of the best batsmen in limited overs cricket. An integral part of the one-day squad for a decade, especially when scripted those calm chases in crises which often ended in the last over or he had special  last-ball heroics saved for it. Picking the gaps, running hard between the wickets and knowing the exact moment – and place – to hit a boundary were the hallmarks of his career. Bevan won Australia matches on crunch situations from situations where things seemed almost lost. Michael Bevan is thus successful in finding a spot in the best finishers list even after a decade of retiring from International Cricket and is poised at the second position.

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No 3.  Lance Klusener(South Africa)

Lance Klusener the prolific left-hand batsman from South Africa is one of the best lower order batsmen the country has produced. The African south would come in to bat almost at the end and hit the ball with ease and send it out of the park whenever and where he wanted; he is one of the most skillful players to have played the game which makes him one of the most adaptable and situation suited player. Klusener was termed a slogger during the 1999’s but his success and consistency ensured his critics had nothing to say. Klusener had that skill seen very rarely in a bowler that of willing to stay till the end and win his team the match. This made him stand out and he lands himself in the list of Best Finishers in World Cricket.

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No 4. Michael Hussey (Australia)

Mike Hussey the left-hand batsman from Australia well known as Mr. Cricket by his fans and others in International Cricketing arena, Hussey got this name because of his ability to do almost every possible thing on the cricketing field. He was one of the best batsmen not only in Australia but also in the cricketing world; the struggle he had to put in before getting to wear the Australian outfit would have made many lose their will to play anymore but overcoming it and becoming the spine of Australian middle order is Mike Hussey for you. His abilities with the ball in the hand too have been an asset for Australia with him breaking many partnerships and his fielding is a pleasure to watch being one of the best in the business. Hussey features here for his ultimate ability to stay calm and get his team to cruise through any opposition he would make sure to stay in till the end and has won numerous matches for Australia. Hussey is surely one of the best finishers too from the Australian lands.

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No 5.  Javed Miandad (Pakistan)

Javed Miandad Right-hand batsman from Pakistan the country well known for its bowling legends Miandad is undoubtedly the best batsman from Pakistan. His talent was early spotted and by the time he made his debut he proved Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistan’s first Test captain terming him “the find of the decade” was not mistaken. Miandad was not an orthodox batsman or cricketer he did everything in his own style. A batsman who knew how to score runs in any situation Miandad had the best ability to hit the ball in the gaps create gaps with his angles and edges. He played some genius innings and had a few elegant shots too in his kitty too his fine early reverse-sweep caught everyone’s eye. More than anything Javed Miandad has won Pakistan more matches than anyone from the country with his hitting abilities he would ensure supremacy against any bowling line up. A very aggressive player Miandad is also the best finisher Pakistan has had and he secure himself the 5th spot.

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The Players in the list feature because they have won their respective countries more matches than any of their fellow countrymen could do. They may fall behind on a few records but they were and are certainly the best finishers finishing matches in favour of their side.