Watch: MS Dhoni vs AB de Villiers! Azam Khan picks best-ever finisher

Pakistani wicket-keeper batsman Azam Khan picked former India captain MS Dhoni over AB de Villiers as the greatest finisher ever in T20 cricket. The 26-year-old recently had a virtual interview with an outlet named CricWick on their X (formerly Twitter) space where he was asked to choose from a number of former and active players as the best finisher.

Azam Khan who is currently taking part in Pakistan Super League season 9 for Islamabad United, is enduring a lean run of form in the international scene. He is grinding hard at the moment to regain form in order to have his tickets booked with the national side for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which is slated to start on June 1.

Azam Khan puts Abdul Razzaq over Jos Buttler

The first two players that Azam was asked to choose from were England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler and former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. Without much shock, Azam picked his senior countryman over the English international, who led England towards their 2nd T20 World Cup title in 2022, beating Pakistan in the final.

It could be that Azam Khan never really saw Buttler bat as the former was not included in the team that played the finale held in MCG in November 2022. It was all emotions rather than facts as Buttler plays at a strike rate of over 140 and Razzaq had a strike rate of less than 120.

Moving on, Azam was then asked to choose from Razzaq and Australia’s big show Glenn Maxwell. This time, the wicket-keeper batsman firmly chose Maxwell and it would have been a major violation had he preferred Razzaq over the Aussie.

Then came the big question as the host asked him to pick from Maxwell and Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli who are currently RCB teammates. Given the fact that he had to pick the best finisher, Azam Khan again chose Maxwell and reasoned that Kohli is a top-order batsman who also opens for the Bangalore-based outfit. Of course, Azam wasn’t there when Virat Kohli finished off the India Vs Pakistan clash in the T20 WC 2022 group stage.

Then he was asked to choose from Maxwell and West Indies’ power hitter Andre Russell. This time Azam picked Russell before again choosing the Jamaican over New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips. Then came the name of cricket’s first Mr. 360, South Africa’s AB de Villiers, and to nobody’s surprise, Azam chose the former Proteas captain over the next pick, Ben Stokes as well.

MS Dhoni is Azam’s greatest finisher pick

The host saved the best question for the last as Azam Khan was to choose the final pick between India’s greatest-ever captain MS Dhoni and De Villiers. The question absolutely baffled the Islamabad United keeper who even exclaimed, “This is a tough one”.

The 26-year-old took a short pause to think through before naming MS Dhoni as his greatest-ever finisher pick. “Tough one, but as a finisher I would pick MS Dhoni 100%,” Azam Khan told Cricwick.

AB de Villiers❓ Virat Kohli❓ MS Dhoni❓

Azam Khan picks the best finisher in cricket 👀#HBLPSL9 #PSL2024 pic.twitter.com/cPbE9AH3eg

— CricWick (@CricWick) February 26, 2024