IPL 2023: Five finishers to watch out for
What's the story
Thala MS Dhoni! Most of us associate the term 'finisher' in cricket with the legendary batter. He is arguably the best in the business. However, with the rise of global T20 leagues, several other names have risen through the ranks. The art of finishing will be on display in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) edition. Here are the finishers to watch out for.
Russell
Andre Russell - Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell tops the list of finishers. His exploits with the bat require no introduction. On his day, the star all-rounder can single-handedly snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. Russell, who has the highest strike rate in the IPL (177.88), bashes at 203.08 in the death overs. The tally includes as many as 258 sixes.
Miller
David Miller - Gujarat Titans
South Africa's David Miller was a revelation for GT in IPL 2022. Out of his 481 runs in that edition (at 68.71), as many as 437 came at number five or lower. The left-handed batter averaged 58.00 in the death overs and struck at 174.00 in this phase. Miller played numerous impactful knocks, especially in the run-chases.
Karthik
Dinesh Karthik - Royal Challengers Bangalore
The 2022 IPL season revived the international career of Dinesh Karthik. He racked up 330 runs from 16 matches at 55.00 for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The middle-order batter struck at a staggering 183.33. DK played some extraordinary knocks for RCB in the death overs, having hit at 220.00 in this phase. He is expected to fire in the impending season too.
Dube
Shivam Dube - Chennai Super Kings
Left-handed batter Shivam Dube, who has represented Team India, can go big at the death. The Yellow Army bought him for Rs. 4 crore in the auction last year. And, he had his best IPL season, having struck at a phenomenal 156.22. In all likelihood, Dube will be used as a finisher by CSK, who already have a star-studded line-up.
Rashid
Rashid Khan - Gujarat Titans
The most underrated name on this list is Rashid Khan. Besides outfoxing the batters with his vicious deliveries, the leg-spinner can hit the ball well. Interestingly, Rashid has a strike rate of 141.95 in T20 cricket, which climbs to 160 at the death. In IPL 2022, Rashid (31*) finished the match for GT against SRH when they needed 15 runs off four balls.