IPL 2026: Rating all teams based on their finishers

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all about big-hitting players who can captivate the crowd whilst putting big totals on the board. Over the past few seasons, scores above 200 have become quite common in the highly anticipated tournament, with no totals being safe and out of reach for the chasing sides. This phenomenon of big totals and unexpected chases is widely possible thanks to the hard-hitting finishers that each of the 10 franchises possess in their ranks. Teams have actively made a point to have players striking well over 200 to give them a boost lower down the order. And this season of the cash-rich event is no different. Here are IPL 2026 teams ranked on the basis of their finishers 10. Lucknow Super Giants Abdul Samad. (Source:Gettylmages) Despite the sheer pedigree in their squad, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have, relatively, the weakest finishing order heading into the 2026 season. Possessing the likes of Abdul Samad, Wanindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed, the team lacks a trusted finisher who can constantly put the death bowlers under pressure. Samad, however, does hold some fear factor. The Jammu & Kashmir batter scored at a strike rate of 176.34 during the 2025 edition to lead LSG’s chances of posting a big total towards the end of their innings. 9. Gujarat Titans Rahul Tewatia. (Photo source: IPL/BCCI) Gujarat Titans (GT) have some very dangerous finishers in the squad. These include the likes of Rahul Tewatia, with Jason Holder and Rashid Khan also providing crucial options towards the death overs for some real pinch-hitting. Ever since bursting on to the scene back in 2020 for the Rajasthan Royals, Tewatia has played the role of a finisher wherever he has played. Last season, he got to face just 59 balls but still managed to score at a strike-rate of 167.79. Rashid too is capable of playing some audacious shots towards the end, like he showed in 2023, where he was striking at 216.66. 8. Delhi Capitals Ashutosh-Sharma. (Photo source: X) The Delhi Capitals’ (DC) lower order could comprise of the likes of Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam and the new signing of the dangerous David Miller. Nigam had an excellent debut campaign for DC last time around where he took the mantle of a finisher, ending the campaign with a strike-rate of 179.74. He scored a match-winning 39 off just 15 balls last year against the Lucknow Super Giants to announce himself on the big stage while Ashutosh scored an unbeaten 66. The pair will be joined by the experience of Miller this time around as the hope to continue playing the same role. 7. Chennai Super Kings MS Dhoni (Source: Indianarrative) The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will once again have MS Dhoni as their prime finisher for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The former skipper could be joined by youngster Prashant Veer this year whom CSK have bought for a whopping INR 14.20 crore during the most recent mini-auction. Dhoni had a slight dip last time around, striking at just 135.17. The 44-year-old, however, was at his best in the finishing role in 2024, where he scored at 220.54. CSK could also have Shivam Dube playing the finisher’s role as he comes out to bat at number five or six. 6. Punjab Kings Marcus-Stoinis. (Photo source: IPL) Punjab Kings (PBKS) are set to play the likes of Marco Jansen, Shashank Singh and either one of Marcus Stoinis or Azmatullah Omarzai in their lower order during the upcoming season. Stoinis is widely considered one of the best finishers in the modern game. The Australia all-rounder grabbed that role with both hands for PBKS last season, where he played at a strike rate of 186.04 whilst averaging in mid 20s. Shashank, on the other hand, has played the finisher’s role for his side for three seasons now, including at the final in 2025, where he scored 61 from just 30 balls to nearly take PBKS to their maiden title. 5. Rajasthan Royals Shimron Hetmyer. (Source – IPL/BCCI) Rajasthan Royals (RR) could field a lower order comprising Shimron Hetmyer and the new trade signings of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran or Donovan Ferreira. The Royals have relied on Hetmyer as their lower-order destroyer for a number of years now despite the 29-year-old playing further up the order for the West Indies. The left-handed batter is a proven finisher in the league, with the likes of Curran and Jadeja giving him enough support towards the end. Ferreira, meanwhile, is also a dangerous prospect coming in at five or six. He finished the 2025 Hundred campaign with a strike rate of 235.06 and looked in great touch, showcasing signs of a thunderous IPL stint as well. 4. Sunrisers Hyderabad Heinrich Klaasen Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are renowned for having one of the best batting units in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and this includes their lower order, which could include Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma and the new signing of England all-rounder Liam Livingstone. SRH have a very flexible batting order which can change based on the situation in front. Reddy and Klaasen can come up the order and can bat as finishers to give their side an extra boost towards the end. The former South Africa batter has constantly been scoring at a strike rate of 170 over the past few seasons. 3. Kolkata Knight Riders Rishabh Pant and Rinku Singh. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have one of the best Indian finishers in their ranks in the form of Rinku Singh. Together paired with the dashing Ramandeep Singh, the Eden Gardens-based side could worry the death bowling of the opposition. During their title-winning campaign in 2024, Ramandeep scored at a strike-rate of 201.61, which has since dipped to around 135 last time around. Should he not open, Sunil Narine is also a threat with the bat and so is Harshit Rana. KKR, however, have a massive task to replace the now-retired Andre Russell in their lower order. 2. Royal Challengers Bengaluru Romario-Shepherd. (Photo source: X) Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) possess two of the best finishers in the game in the form of Tim David and Romario Shepherd. Should RCB decide to play them both, they could pose a real threat in the death overs. David struck at 185.14 during IPL 2025 whilst averaging an impressive 62.33. Shepherd, on the other hand, scored at an astonishing 291.66 in the season which included an unbeaten 53 off just 14 balls against the Chennai Super Kings whilst coming in at number seven. 1. Mumbai Indians Will Jacks (Source: IPL/X) Heading into the 2026 season, Mumbai Indians (MI) arguably have the best lower order amongst all 10 sides. The five-time champions would field a side with captain Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir and the newly resurgent English all-rounder Will Jacks. Dhir scored at a strike rate of 182.60 during the 2025 IPL season whilst averaging 31. Jacks, meanwhile, was given a new role as a finisher in Harry Brook’s T20I side and has excelled. The right-hander struck at 176.56 in the lower order whilst simultaneously averaging 56.50. MI would be expected to utilise Jacks in a similar role as he does for his national side to bring the best out of him.

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IPL 2026: Rating all teams based on their finishers

The phenomena of big totals and unexpected chases is widely possible thanks to the hard-hitting finishers that each of the 10 franchises possess in their ranks.

1. Mumbai Indians

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