India, May 13 -- For years, the IPL finisher felt like cricket's version of a superhero entrance. The game could look completely lost, the required run-rate touching impossible numbers, the crowd already giving up, and then someone would walk in and change everything within a few overs. These players were trusted to survive pressure, calculate chases and somehow find clarity in chaos.

Some of the league's most unforgettable moments have come from finishers: Mahendra Singh Dhoni taking it deep and finishing games for Chennai Super Kings, Kieron Pollard tearing apart bowling attacks for Mumbai Indians, or Ravindra Jadeja pulling off that unforgettable final over in the 2023 IPL final to seal the title for Chennai.

Then there were innings ...