Finishing a cricket game is an art, and there are only a handful of cricketers who can be called true finishers. The evolution of T20 cricket in recent times has somehow made the game easy for batters. We have seen teams crossing the 200-run mark in IPL as well as international cricket on a lot of occasions in the recent few years.
In the last few years, we have seen a range of cricketers finishing the game for their respective teams. However, there have been a few cricketers who finished a game at the international level for a long time. Let’s look at the top 9 world best finishers in cricket as of 2026:
Top 9 World Best Finishers In Cricket (2026)
This table includes the cricketers’ names, Birth Dates, Age, Country, and Highest Score as of 2026.
| Cricketer | Birth Date | Country | Test Highest Score | ODI Highest Score | T20 Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 07/07/1981 | India | 224 | 183* | 56 |
| Michael Bevan | 08/05/1970 | Australia | 91* | 108* | N/A |
| AB de Villiers | 17/02/1984 | South Africa | 278* | 176 | 79* |
| Michael Hussey | 27/05/1975 | Australia | 195 | 109* | 60* |
| Jos Buttler | 08/09/1990 | England | 152 | 162* | 101* |
| Vivian Richards | 07/03/1952 | West Indies | 291 | 189 | N/A |
| Shahid Afridi | 01/03/1980 | Pakistan | 156 | 124 | 54* |
| Hardik Pandya | 11/10/1993 | India | 108 | 92* | 71* |
| Kieron Pollard | 12/05/1987 | West Indies | N/A | 119 | 75* |
The role of a finisher has evolved as the game has progressed. A term like finisher might not have been relevant when a player like Sunil Gavaskar was in his prime. There came a time when the white ball was introduced in cricket, and the concept of strike rate evolved.
The strike rate phenomenon helped the team pick players suitable for finishing the game. These players came at a time when the teams were required to score more than nine or ten runs per over and took the game away from the opponent’s pocket. Someone like Vivian Richards batted fearlessly during his time and scored runs at a rate that is popular at this point in time.
Thus, Richards could be called the first-ever finisher that the cricketing world saw. Someone like MS Dhoni finished matches for the Indian team throughout his career and made the term “finisher” synonymous with himself. Players like AB de Villiers, Shahid Afridi, and Michael Hussey played the role of a finisher effortlessly. In the modern era, players like Jos Buttler and Hardik Pandya can be called true finishers of the game.
1. MS Dhoni
| Birth Date | 07/07/1981 |
| Age | 44 |
| Country | India |
| Test Highest Score | 224 |
| ODI Highest Score | 183* |
| T20 Highest Score | 56 |
MS Dhoni is regarded as one of the best finishers of the game in recent years. He made his international debut in 2004 and played his last game in 2019. Dhoni featured in a total of 538 matches for the Indian team across formats and scored in excess of 17000 runs at a strike rate of 79.07.
Background and Career Highlights
- Achievements: Led India to victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ICC World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy.
- Key Innings:
- 183* against Sri Lanka in 2005.
- 91* in the 2011 ICC World Cup final.
- Statistical Analysis: He made 4027 runs in the last 10 overs in ODIs at a strike rate of 127.67. Apart from Dhoni, no batter has scored more than 3000 runs in the last 10 overs in ODIs.
2. Michael Bevan
| Birth Date | 08/05/1970 |
| Age | 55 |
| Country | Australia |
| Test Highest Score | 91 |
| ODI Highest Score | 108* |
| T20 Highest Score | N/A |
Michael Bevan was regarded as one of the best finishers that the game of cricket has seen. He didn’t have a great Test career but his finishing skills in ODIs made him one of the most dangerous batter of his time. Bevan played 232 ODI matches and scored 6912 runs at an average of 53.58. He still has the third-best average among the batters who have made more than 5000 runs in ODIs.
Background and Career Highlights
- Achievements: Part of the Australian team that won the 1999 and 2003 World Cups.
- Key Innings:
- 78* against West Indies in 1996.
- 74* against New Zealand in 2002.
- Statistical Analysis: Averaged over 53 in ODIs. He remained not out 67 times in ODIs, which is the second-most among the batters who scored over 400 runs in ODIs.
3. AB de Villiers
| Birth Date | 17/02/1984 |
| Age | 41 |
| Country | South Africa |
| Test Highest Score | 278* |
| ODI Highest Score | 176 |
| T20 Highest Score | 79* |
AB de Villiers is one of the best Proteas batters. He captained South Africa in 124 matches across formats and scored 5350 runs at an average of 56.91. Only Hansie Cronje scored more runs for South Africa than de Villiers as captain. He scored over 20000 runs for South Africa in 420 games for South Africa.
Background and Career Highlights
- Achievements: Holds records for the fastest 50, 100, and 150 in ODIs.
- Key Innings:
- 149 off 44 balls against West Indies in 2015.
- 101* against England in 2014.
- Statistical Analysis: Only Jacques Kallis scored more 50+ scores than de Villiers for the Proteas across formats.
4. Michael Hussey
| Birth Date | 27/05/1975 |
| Age | 50 |
| Country | Australia |
| Test Highest Score | 195 |
| ODI Highest Score | 109* |
| T20 Highest Score | 60* |
Michael Hussey made his international debut at the age of 29 and played international cricket for around nine years. In these nine years, Hussey remained an integral part of Australia. He is still the only Australian batter who has scored over 2000 runs in the last 10 overs in ODIs.
Background and Career Highlights
- Achievements: Played a key role in Australia’s dominance in the late 2000s.
- Key Innings:
- 60* against Pakistan in 2010 T20 World Cup.
- 47* against Sri Lanka in 2007.
- Statistical Analysis: Over 6,000 ODI runs with 44 not-out innings.
5. Jos Buttler
| Birth Date | 08/09/1990 |
| Age | 34 |
| Country | England |
| Test Highest Score | 152 |
| ODI Highest Score | 162* |
| T20 Highest Score | 101* |
Jos Buttler is the only player on this list who has scored a century in each format of the game. Buttler was a part of the team that lifted the ODI World Cup trophy in 2019 and captained the side to the T20 World Cup win in 2022. Buttler has made around 12000 runs in international cricket.
Background and Career Highlights
- Achievements: Integral part of England’s 2019 World Cup-winning team. Captained the side in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
- Key Innings:
- 110* against Pakistan in 2015.
- 77* in the 2019 World Cup final.
- Statistical Analysis: He has the highest strike rate among the English batters who have scored more than 1000 runs.
6. Vivian Richards
| Birth Date | 07/03/1952 |
| Age | 73 |
| Country | West Indies |
| Test Highest Score | 291 |
| ODI Highest Score | 189 |
| T20 Highest Score | NA |
Vivian Richards used to bat fearlessly during his time and was probably one of the best Test batters at that time. He made 8540 runs in 121 Test matches at an average of 50.23. He still has the second-highest strike rate among the batters who have made over 8000 runs. He is among the few batters who scored runs at an average of over 50 in Test cricket. In ODIs, Richards amassed 6721 runs at a strike rate of 90.20. He has the best strike rate among the batters who have made over 3000 runs for the West Indies.
Background and Career Highlights:
- Played for the West Indies from 1974 to 1991.
- Known for his aggressive batting and finishing ability in crucial moments.
Achievements:
- Scored 8,540 runs in 124 Tests and 6,721 runs in 187 ODIs.
- Highest Test score of 291 and highest ODI score of 189.
Key Innings:
- His 291 against England in 1976 remains one of the most iconic Test innings.
Statistical Analysis:
- Test Average: 50.24
- ODI Average: 47
- Known for his match-winning contributions in tight situations.
7. Shahid Afridi
| Birth Date | 01/03/1980 |
| Age | 45 |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Test Highest Score | 156 |
| ODI Highest Score | 124 |
| T20 Highest Score | 54* |
Shahid Afridi was a T20 cricketer even before T20 cricket was invented. He was someone who could slot in any modern-day T20 team with his all-round skills. His batting was as lethal as his bowling. Afridi is one of the few players who have scored multiple half-centuries in ODIs off fewer than 20 deliveries. He won the Player of the Tournament award during the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup. In 2009, when Pakistan lifted the T20 World Cup trophy, Afridi won the Player of the Match award in the final.
Background and Career Highlights:
- Played for Pakistan from 1996 to 2016.
- Famous for his aggressive batting and ability to finish games with big shots.
Achievements:
- Scored over 10,000 runs across all formats.
- Held the record for the fastest ODI century for 18 years.
Key Innings:
- His 124 in an ODI against Sri Lanka and numerous game-changing cameos in T20s.
Statistical Analysis:
- Test Average: 36.51
- ODI Average: 23.58
- T20I Average: 17.92
- Known for his quick-fire innings and finishing the game in style.
8. Hardik Pandya
| Birth Date | 11/10/1993 |
| Age | 31 |
| Country | India |
| Test Highest Score | 108 |
| ODI Highest Score | 92* |
| T20 Highest Score | 71* |
Hardik Pandya is a modern-day all-rounder and has won a number of matches for India in recent years. Pandya played a crucial role for India in the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Champions Trophy 2025. He has made 1904 runs and taken 91 wickets in ODIs. There have been only seven Indian players who have scored 2000 runs and picked 100 wickets in ODIs. He has made 904 runs in the death overs in T20Is and only David Miller has made more runs than him.
Background and Career Highlights:
- Born on 11th October 1993, Baroda, India.
- Made his international debut in 2016.
- Has captained India in T20Is and also led IPL teams.
Achievements:
- Scored a Test century (108) against Sri Lanka.
- Key member of India’s 2018 Asia Cup 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy.
Key Innings:
- 92* vs Australia in an ODI – a fearless chase-finishing knock.
- 71* in T20I, showcasing his hitting power under pressure.
- 108 in Tests – displayed his adaptability in the longer format
9. Kieron Pollard
| Birth Date | 12/05/1987 |
| Age | 38 |
| Country | West Indies |
| Test Highest Score | N/A |
| ODI Highest Score | 119 |
| T20 Highest Score | 75* |
Kieron Pollard is widely recognised as one of the most destructive finishers in modern white-ball cricket. Known for his raw power, calmness under pressure, and ability to accelerate instantly, Pollard became a global T20 superstar and a key match-winner for both West Indies and Mumbai Indians. With his finishing cameos and six-hitting consistency, he played a massive role in MI’s dominance in the IPL.
Background and Career Highlights
Played more than 600 T20 matches globally, won multiple IPL titles with Mumbai Indians, and is one of the few players to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket (vs Sri Lanka, 2021).
Key Innings:
- 87* off 34 vs CSK in IPL 2021 – one of the greatest run chases in IPL history.
- 70* off 27 vs RCB in IPL 2012 – a classic finishing masterclass.
- 31* off 12 vs Australia in 2014 – sealed a last-over win for West Indies.
Statistical Analysis:
- Pollard scored over 12,000 runs in T20 cricket with a strike rate consistently above 150.
- In ODIs, he struck at 94.4, while his T20I strike rate stood at 135.
- He has hit 234+ sixes in international cricket, averaging roughly 17 balls per six, making him one of the most reliable finishers in white-ball cricket.
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Conclusion – MS Dhoni Is The World’s Best Finisher In Cricket!
Without any doubt, MS Dhoni can be called the best finisher in cricket. No batter has scored more runs in death overs in ODIs than him. No one comes close to him, and this record is likely to remain with him for a long time.
Dhoni remained not out 84 times in ODIs, and it is another record that won’t be broken in the next few years. Only Ravindra Jadeja is an active cricketer on this list who has remained not out in more than 50 matches in ODIs.
Who is your favourite finisher in cricket? Let us know in the comments below!
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