Best XI of the 2015 Cricket World Cup group stage

It’s a team skippers fantasize about, a team you wish made up your fantasy line-up. But then again, it is really hard to predict who the heroes will be at a major tournament. Some heroes turn up, some hibernate, while some others completely fizzle out.Here, we pick the Best XI of the group stage from the 2015 World Cup. Remember, this is a team not necessarily of the top XI players; instead, it is a team that where the whole is more than the sum of its parts. There are the best openers, the best finishers, the best seam bowlers, the best spinners; that would make for one hell of a team, we are sure!

#1 Brendon McCullum

He has 257 runs at an average of 42.83 while opening the innings. A lot of openers have more runs than him – Hashim Amla, David Warner and Tillakaratne Dilshan. Yet, McCullum will make it to the Team of the World Cup any day because his three half centuries came against the three big teams – Sri Lanka, England and Australia.

His strike-rate of 187.59 is only marginally next to that of Glenn Maxwell, who has the same number of runs as him. That kind of strike-rate at the start of the innings against world class bowlers can set the foundation up, give teams the momentum and help them through tough chases. Not to mention, he is a breathtaking fielder, who will easily pull couple of miracles every match.

#2 Tillakaratne Dilshan

He has 395 runs averaging 79 with a strike rate of 98. He edges out Shikhar Dhawan, the left-handed in-form opener from India on the basis of two reasons – Dilshan is 50 runs ahead of Dhawan, although an argument against this choice is that Dhawan’s runs came in two big games against Pakistan and South Africa. However, Dilshan can bowl a few overs of spin when the pitch is slow and that could be precious in a tight game given the team of the World Cup has just one specialist spinner.

#3 Kumar Sangakkara

With 496 runs at an average of 124 and a strike-rate of close to 120, he is already a contender for the Player of the Tournament setting a world record for four consecutive ODI centuries. No man had ever scored four centuries in the same edition of the World Cup either. Sangakkara, after a lukewarm start, came into his own scoring excellent centuries against Bangladesh, England, Australia and Scotland and is in the form of his life just before retirement. He is a phenomenal wicket-keeper too with most dismissals at the World Cup, going past Adam Gilchrist.

#4 AB de Villiers

Any team in the world including a dream team will vie for him and his stats don’t need to be discussed. Yet for the sake of formality, he has 417 runs at an astonishing average of 83.4 and a strike rate of nearly 145, third on the run-scorers’ list and in a league of his own when it comes to batting against quality pace bowlers. He has already set a record for the fastest 150 in ODIs in this world cup.

His 77 against Pakistan was sheer genius, and he eventually fell due to lack of support from the other end than of his own folly. A brilliant fielder, AB de Villiers has also turned his arm over at this World Cup picking up some wickets.

#5 Brendan Taylor

His story is the tragedy of the World Cup – the second highest run-scorer and the best batsman not to be playing the quarter-finals. With 433 runs at this World Cup with an average close to 72 and a strike rate of around 107 including 2 centuries and a half century, Taylor was a one-man army for Zimbabwe, battling every game.

His two big centuries, one against Ireland and one against India, probably in his last ODI for Zimbabwe, both ended up in losing causes, robbing him of a memorable farewell. He is the only one from his country to score back to back centuries at the World Cup and over 400 runs. Enough said!

#6 Glenn Maxwell

The Big Show, Maxwell edges out MS Dhoni from the team and that is a big statement. It will infuriate quite a few fans, but on the strength of sheer hitting power, (Dhoni played some really nice finishing knocks, but was out of touch with big hitting), the capability of bowling a few overs of spin and more runs, he gets picked ahead of other No. 6 batsmen who have lit the World Cup up.

He has the best strike-rate of the top 50 run-scorers at this World Cup – a whopping 190, just ahead of McCullum’s and has a run tally of 257 averaging 64.25. That is quite good for any finisher, let alone a man of his level of destructive hitting. He also scored Australia’s fastest ODI century and the second fastest at World Cups, in 52 balls.

#7 Corey Anderson

Anderson is probably the only player at this World Cup who has contributed regularly to his team with bat and ball. His hitting power was never under any doubt, but the fact that he is picking wickets makes him the perfect No. 7 especially on pitches that support pace bowling. He has 158 runs, averaging 39.5 and a strike rate of 114.5, with three important knocks already under his belt.

With the ball, Anderson has 10 wickets, with an incredible average of 13 and an economy of around 4.8 – extremely impressive in a World Cup where 300 has been a par score. He might still need to work on his finishing, having gotten out at crucial junctures against Bangladesh and Australia after doing all the hard work.

#8 Daniel Vettori

One bad game against Zimbabwe has probably cost Ravichandran Ashwin a spot on this team. Daniel Vettori though has been unrelenting with the ball. 13 wickets at 13.69 and an economy of 3.21, the lowest amongst the top 50 wicket-takers hardly leaves any doubt over who the best spinner at this World Cup has been. Vettori is also quite handy with the bat, playing a cameo against Bangladesh to win the game. His experience is of prime importance too as he is playing in his 5th World Cup.

#9 Mitchell Starc

The leading wicket-taker at this World Cup is also the most feared bowler in the world right now in ODIs. Starc has 16 wickets from just 5 games, almost winning the match against New Zealand single-handedly, if not for a blunder in tactic to hold him back too late. His economy rate is a brilliant 3.67. He strikes once every 14 balls, that is less than three overs.

As if that wasn’t enough proof of how good he is, his average is the only single digit average amongst top 50 wicket-takers – an unbelievable 8.50. On current form, he will be the dream bowler for any team playing at the World Cup.

#10 Trent Boult

The left-arm pacer from New Zealand is one of the biggest reasons behind New Zealand’s devastating form at this World Cup. He has 15 wickets in 6 games at 15.6 apiece. His economy of 4.17 bowling on small grounds in New Zealand is very impressive as is his strike rate of 22.4. His most potent weapon is the full delivery swinging into the right hander, something he uses with great accuracy and bowls at a lively pace. He has eclipsed his teammate, Tim Southee to make the playing XI in this team.

#11 Mohammad Shami

Shami has been the primary reason why India have managed to bowl out their opponents. He has picked wickets in his first spell very regularly. He is accurate, fast and most importantly, moves the ball around both ways, with a seam position that is just adorable. 15 wickets at 12.6 apiece and an economy of 4.39 makes him the first choice for this team ahead of Wahab Riaz, who has the same number of wickets and is menacing with his speed. Yet, Wahab is expensive, with an economy of 5.49, way more than Shami’s. Also, Boult and Starc are both left-armers, which means Shami will provide variety bowling right arm.