Five lesser-known finishers who deserve more recognition
In limited-overs cricket, matches go right down to the wire. In such situations, you need calm and composed characters capable of absorbing the pressure and taking their team over the line.
Finishing a game for one’s side is an art in cricket. It’s a difficult art to master but there have been a few cricketers like MS Dhoni and Michael Bevan, to name a few, who have mastered it, time and again proving themselves in crunch situations by taking their team to victory.
In the recent past, there have been players who have been moulded into the finisher's role for their respective teams. These players have, more or less, done the job for their side without having the spotlight on them. So, here’s a look at five such cricketers who deserve more recognition.
#5 Sarfraz Ahmed
The current Pakistan skipper, Sarfraz Ahmed, manages to churn out runs wherever he bats. He has batted in every position (except No. 3), but in recent times, has largely made the No. 5 and No. 6 roles his own.
His stats batting at 5 and 6 are very good. He averages 60 and 42 at No. 5 and 6 respectively. His finishing skills were on display during the Champions Trophy game against Sri Lanka which was a do-or-die fixture. Chasing 237, with Pakistan reeling at 137-6, everything looked lost, but Sarfraz batted with a lot of maturity and composure to help his side overhaul the target and reach the semi-final.
In ODIs in 2017, Sarfraz has batted in five innings and has remained unbeaten in three of them. He has been in wonderful form over the last two years, but has gone unnoticed in international circles.