IPL 2014: The Fearsome Finishers

So, cricket's annual festival is back again. Today, I would dedicate my article to the people, without whom, not only the IPL, but also the T20 format of the game would have been unsuccessful - The Fearsome Finishers. In this slam-bang format of the game, the last 5 overs are most watchable and interesting. And thus, a T20 team seems to be incomplete without good finishers. These players may give nightmares to bowlers. The openers set the tone of a match, but these are the players who execute the starts. Besides, these players are also known save a team after both the openers and the upper middle order fails. Here we would take a look at the best finisher of each IPL side.

#1 MS Dhoni

Arguably, the best finisher in the cricketing world, it will be Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 7th year as the captain of the Chennai Super Kings campaign. Known for his trademark "Helicopter" shot, he is really a utility player as he can successfully handle the positions of the captain, wicket-keeper and certainly a "fearsome finisher"! His power-packed performance will certainly be a treat-to-watch for his fans. But his recent injury woes and form is a concern for the squad.

Besides, Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja can also play a good hand at the tail end of an innings.

#2 AB de Villiers

Besides having Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and Chris Gayle in the top order, Royal Challengers Bangalore also have AB de Villiers in their ranks. Considered the best finisher in the world along with Dhoni, he has a great strike rate of 132. Known for his experimentation with fancy shots like the scoop and the reverse sweep, he is a great asset to RCB. But the weak bowling line-up is really a concern for his side.

#3 Glenn Maxwell

Last year, when Maxwell got a Million dollars form Mumbai Indians, many thought that he didn't deserve it. But he has shown what he can do in the 2013 Champions league with consistent performances. He really has improved his game in the last one year. He can provide good hammering to the bowlers in the end overs of the game.

Besides, who can forget David Miller's innings of 101 off just 38 balls aginst RCB last year. It would really be interesting to see how the combination of Glen Maxwell and "Miller the Killer" works for Kings XI Punjab.

#4 Corey Anderson

This Kiwi is a threat to any bowler. Fondly Remembered for his 36 ball 100 (the fastest hundred in ODIs) against the Windies, he can slog a ball to any part of the ground. However, the spin-favoring Indian soil would surely be a test for him. Besides, MI also have Kieran Pollard in their ranks. He can save a team from any point of a game and Mumbai Indian's fate certainly relies in the success of this pair.

#5 Steve Smith

Steve Smith burst into limelight with Pune Warriors India 2 years ago. And now, he is a regular in the Australian ODI and Test squads. He is really an uncanny combination of power-hitting and patience. He known to save a team after its top order collapses and along with that, he can also provide some pinch-hitting. Thus, he is an important player for the Aussies in all formats of the game.

Apart from him, the Rajasthan Royals also have Kevon Cooper and James Faulkner who are known for their finishing skills as well.

#6 James Neesham

"Ahh, did I see him somewhere?". Is this what you are thinking on seeing his name. "Yes, you did" is the answer. He was the one who along with Brendan McCullum saved New Zealand from the verge a defeat with his innings of 170 runs in the last test of the recently concluded India-NZ series. But, you may think is he in this list owing only to to his Test innings? No, he isn't. He has been very consistent with his performances in the T20 format both in the domestic and international levels. And his strike rate? A whooping 161.81.

The Delhi Daredevils not only have such a talented young finisher but also a strong top order with names like Quinton de Kock, Kevin Peterson and Dinesh Kartik.

#7 Darren Sammy

A consistent bowler and an exceptional fielder, Darren Sammy is an utility to any team.Though he lacks consistency and struggles with spin bowling, this Caribbean power-hitter is known for his ability to spank any ball out of the ground. He has a good 130+ strike and is a treat to watch in the later part of an innings. He is also known for his leadership qualities and is thus the deputy captain of the side.

#8 Yusuf Pathan

Remember that age old proverb "Form is temporary, class is permanent"? This really suits Yusuf Pathan. An able allrounder, he is known for his power-hitting. Regarded as a clean hitter of the ball, he recorded the fastest hundred in IPL (of 37 balls) in IPL's first season itself. But, since then, his form has fluctuated. He is often compared with a dormant volcano, which in it's day, can erupt in a massive scale.

Besides, Kolkata Knight Riders' Andre Russell is also regarded as a great pinch-hitter with a T20 strike rate 154.51.