The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kickstarted from Friday with a blockbuster clash of star-studded defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) and four-time champions Chennai Super Kings here at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Following record-breaking expenditures at the mini-auction in December to bolster their sides, several teams will try to contend for the championship this year. One of the most crucial components of any T20 team's winning formula is having a strong finisher. The best finishers are not only excellent power hitters but also batters who can bring modifications according to the requirements of the game, playing a significant part in the line-up. Let's take a look at the top 5 finishers to watch out for in IPL 2023.
Dinesh Karthik
For the past five years, Dinesh Karthik has dazzled everyone with his finishing prowess in this style. He performed admirably in the job for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2018 and 2019. After his batting role in KKR remained unclear, he had a couple of middling seasons in 2020 and 2021. Royal Challengers Bangalore acquired the 37-year-old wicketkeeper and assigned him a finisher's position. In 2022, he scored 330 runs at a strike rate of 183.
David Miller
With the Gujarat Titans, David Miller had a fantastic season as a finisher in 2022. Miller has had a great IPL season with the defending champions GT - scoring 481 runs in the tournament at nearly 9 runs per over. He had a strike rate of 145.24 and slammed 1053 runs scored in 42 innings for an average of 47.86.
Tim David
Tim David was acquired by the Mumbai Indians in the IPL mega auction for INR 8.25 crores. David excels at power-hitting and has a wide variety of strokes in his toolbox. In the previous IPL season, he displayed some of his skills by scoring 186 runs in 8 innings at an average of 37 and a strike rate of 216.
Andre Russell
Andre Russell has been one of the standout players for the past six seasons. Even though he failed to make an impact last season, the Big Russ is ready to make a comeback this season. After playing 98 games Russell has scored 2035 runs with a strike rate of 177.88. KKR will be relying on him this season to pull off performances with bat as well as ball.
Shimron Hetmyer
West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer has been a brilliant finisher in various T20 tournaments across the globe. Hetmyer played an integral role in the Rajasthan Royals. Hetmyer has played for Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, smashing 556 runs at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 160. The attacking southpaw will want to start by playing his natural game and might provide the Royals with some explosive outings.
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