World Cup 2015: Team of the Week (14th-22nd February)

The ICC Cricket World Cup is already a week old and there have already been plenty of surprises. While the host nations, Australia and New Zealand have got off to a good start, the same cannot be said for Pakistan, who were pipped as the dark horse. South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka have had a mixed bag, while England have continued to disappoint and India already exceed expectations. In the midst of all of that, there have also been some wonderful performances.So let us take a look at who makes it into the team of the week, at the end of the first week of the tournament:NOTE: Only includes performances until the India-South Africa game.

#1 Shikhar Dhawan

If you had told any Indian fan that after the first week, Shikhar Dhawan would be the leading run scorer of the World Cup, not many would have taken you seriously. After all, you couldn't blame them as Dhawan's performances this year have been far from convincing. But his fifty in the first game against Pakistan proved to be the catalyst for the Southpaw who has since gone onto record the second-highest score of the tournament so far.

There is a fluency to his innings and his timing is well and truly back. He has already shown just why the Indian team kept faith in him for so long and if he can continue his rich vein of form, then many fans, including this one, will have to simply stand up and applaud.

#2 Brendon McCullum

182.55. That is the rate at which the New Zealand captain has been striking at in this tournament so far. The opening batsman has provided the Kiwis with some breath-taking starts, which they have duly converted as they sit pretty at the top of Group A with three wins out of three. While many batsman take their time to settle down before smashing the ball to corners of the ground, McCullum has shown tremendous positive spirit and belief in his own ability as he has taken the attack to the bowler from the very first delivery.

With two fifties already in his bag, the skipper is already the third-highest run scorer so far and the hosts will be looking towards him for inspiration as they look to claim their first World Cup title.

#3 Virat Kohli

If there was any doubt about Virat Kohli's form before the World Cup, he simply dismissed all of that with a swashbuckling century in the opening game against Pakistan. Against South Africa, he was once again crucial to India's win as he got together with Dhawan and formed the pair's second 100-run partnership of the tournament.

Kohli's ability to simply keep the scoreboard ticking and rotate the strike has helped set up the platform for India to go berserk in the latter stages of the innings in both their games. Averaging over 75 in his two innings, the 26-year-old has once again shown that he is the man for the big occasion and India will be hoping that he continues this throughout the tournament.

#4 David Miller

Before the start of the World Cup, many were questioning David Miller's place in the side. Given the fact that he doesn't bowl, some wondered whether an all-rounder should take his place. But any arguments for dropping him from the side were put to rest after he smashed 138* in South Africa's first match against Zimbabwe and helped dig them out of a hole.

Miller has the ability to not only smash the ball out of the park, but also the technique to work the ball around and rotate strike. So far, he has the highest average in the tournament and has only been dismissed once. His 160 runs have come at a strike rate of close to 140.

#5 Lendl Simmons

Before the World Cup, all the talk was about West Indies' trio of Dwayne Smith, Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels and how they were going to get the Windies off to a flier. So far none of the three have clicked. Instead, it has been Lendl Simmons who has taken on the mantle of scoring runs in the early part of the innings.

The 30-year-old has so far score more runs than the trio have combined in the opening two games. He already has a 50 and a century under his belt and has provided the perfect combination of early resistance coupled with brutal hitting later in the innings.

#6 Corey Anderson

All-rounders are supposed to score runs and take wickets. So far, Corey Anderson has done just that. He has scored 86 runs at an average of 43 and a strike rate of close to 140. He has providing the Kiwi innings the final flourish it has required with the bat in his hand. With the ball, he has taken five wickets at a economy rate of just 4.32 and the best strike rate of any bowler who was bowled at least 10 overs in the tournament so far.

He has no doubt been the best all-rounder of the tournament so far and if he continues in this form, he might be just the man New Zealand have been searching for since the retirement of Chris Cairns.

#7 Luke Ronchi

The role of the wicketkeeper has changed a lot over the last decade and testament to just that has been Luke Ronchi. The Kiwi keeper is the embodiment of the modern-day keeper, someone who can not only accumulate but also accelerate at the end. In the World Cup so far, he has done exactly that.

Although he hasn't had too much to do with the bat, both his innings have been crucial for the Kiwis and nobody has effected more dismissals than the 33-year-old so far in the tournament. The hosts will be hoping to provide a late surge to an already strong Kiwi batting lineup.

#8 Darren Sammy

Stripped of the captaincy before the World Cup, few would have asked questions if Darren Sammy didn't perform to his very best in the World Cup. But the 31-year-old from St Lucia has put his country above all the politics behind the scenes and shown just why he is one of the most lethal all-rounders in the world at the moment.

Although his bowling has been a bit erratic, Sammy's energy in the field and explosive hitting have been more than enough to make up for his bowling. While he is the Windies' second-highest run-scorer of the tournament, his side will be hoping that he makes more of an impression with the ball as the tournament wears on.

#9 Daniel Vettori

When Daniel Vettori was included in the New Zealand, many thought that it was a sentimental decision. But the left-arm spinner has shown that sentiment had no part to play as he has started the World Cup with a bang. Like a fine wine, Vettori has only gotten better with age. Even at 36, without too much spin, batsmen still find him difficult to get away and that is reflected in his figures.

Not only has he taken six wickets, he has done so at an economy rate of just a tad over 3, which is simply sensational, especially given the fact that he has been bowling in New Zealand, where the grounds are smaller and the pitches offer no assistance to spinners.

#10 Tim Southee

What a year Tim Southee has been having. In just eight matches, the Kiwi pacer has already picked up 20 wickets, his second-highest in a calendar year. In three matches at the World Cup, Southee has picked up 11 wickets, almost double the amount of the next-best bowler and has secured not only his career-best haul, but also the third-best figures in World Cup history thanks to his 33/7 against England.

He has the best average and strike rate of any bowler in the competition (min. 15 overs) and an economy rate of just over 4. If he keeps this up, Southee is well on his way towards breaking Glenn McGrath's record of most wickets in a single World Cup, which stands at 26.

#11 Mohammed Shami

If there is one thing that every Indian fan loves to criticise, it is India's bowling attack. Often derided for its mediocrity, the Indians have shown so far that they have what it takes to take 10 wickets in an ODI. The bowling attack has been led by Shami, who has been nothing if not spectacular in his two games.

While his six wickets are certainly promising, what will please the fans and the coaching staff even more is his economy, average and strike rate. He has the third-best economy rate and strike rate (min. 15 overs) and second-best average (min. 15 overs) of any bowler in the World Cup so far. If he keeps this up, Indian fans can no longer complain that they lack a pace spearhead.