5 best finishers to watch out for in IPL 2023
The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is scheduled to start in late March next year. Gujarat Titans, under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, are the defending champions. A number of teams will look to challenge for the title this year after spending record amounts of money at the mini-auction in December to bloster their sides.
When it comes to winning, having a good finisher is one of the most important aspects of any T20 squad. A crucial role in the line-up, the best finishers are not only great power-hitters but also batters who can bring adjustments according to the requirements of the game.
The likes of Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell usually hit from ball 1, whereas someone like MS Dhoni prefers to follow a 'take it deep' approach. These players stick to their own templates and are successful on most occasions.
We will most likely see a lot of top-tier finishing this year as well from a variety of batsmen. Let's take a look at the top 5 finishers to watch out for in IPL 2023.
#1 David Miller
David Miller finishes his 11th IPL season with his first trophy 🏆
(via @DavidMillerSA12) https://t.co/coZlAGWcip
David Miller had a great year as a finisher last year with the Gujarat Titans. He scored 1053 runs in 42 innings at an average of 47.86 and a strike rate of 145.24. These were highly impressive numbers for a batter who has been going through a lean phase in his T20 career since 2016.
He also showed a marked improvement in his game against spin. He scored 206 runs at a strike rate of 145 in the last IPL season at an average of 103. In T20 internationals, he was even better - 118 runs at 10.72 runs per over with just 1 dismissal.
Miller has had a great IPL season with the defending champions - scoring 481 runs in the tournament at nearly 9 runs per over. He won several games for the Titans from near-impossible scenarios, such as the run-chase against CSK where he scored 94 off 51 balls.
#2 Tim David
Singapore-born Tim David represents Australia in international cricket. He was signed by the Mumbai Indians in the IPL mega auction for ₹8.25 crores ahead of last season. He scored 1410 runs in 66 innings at a mind-boggling strike rate of 168.45.
David possesses an impeccable power-hitting game with a wide range of strokes in his arsenal. He has been a revelation for MI and is expected to fill the void of Kieron Pollard in their lower-middle order. He showed glimpses of his abilities in the previous IPL season, scoring 186 runs in 8 innings at an average of 37 and a strike rate of 216.
#3 Andre Russell
Andre Russell was among the best finishers in the previous edition of the tournament. He scored 335 runs in 12 innings at an average of 37.22 and a strike rate of 174.48. This was his best season since IPL 2020.
He is one of the greatest finishers in the history of the tournament. Although he has had a slight lean phase, he remains KKR's most valuable T20 player at present.
Russell is equally destructive against both pace and spin. He has demolished some of the best bowlers in T20 history. In the last IPL season, he scored 119 runs vs spin at an average of 60 and a strike rate of 192. Against pace, he scored 216 runs at an average of 31 and a strike rate of 166.
#4 Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik has impressed everyone with his finishing skills in the format over the past 5 years. He had a couple of great seasons in the role in 2018 & 2019 with KKR. This was followed by a couple of average seasons in 2020 and 2021 after his batting role in KKR was not clear.
RCB signed the 37-year-old wicket-keeper at the mega auction and fixed his role as a finisher. In 2022, he predominantly faced fast bowling in death overs in challenging situations. He went on to score 330 runs at a strike rate of 183 and made a comeback for the Indian T20I team too.
#5 Shimron Hetmyer
Respect, Shimron Hetmyer. 🙌💗 https://t.co/NEjvCpZZoy
West Indies southpaw Shimron Hetmyer has been a brilliant finisher in various T20 competitions across the globe. Since 2021, he has represented the Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League - scoring 556 runs at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 160.
Hetmyer played an integral role in the Rajasthan Royals making it to the finals for the first time since the inaugural season. This year, with West Indian teammate Jason Holder potentially slotting in at number 7 along with Ravi Ashwin at 8, the attacking southpaw will be allowed to play his natural game right from the word go and potentially put in some explosive performances for the Royals.