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Every time a World Cup happens, there come some retirements post the tournament. Some leave with the joy of being the champions while some leave with unfulfilled dreams. The World Cups are considered to be the points in players' careers where they decide whether to continue playing cricket at the highest level.
After all, a World Cup is what a team or an individual prepares for and looks forward to giving their best. And post that, there comes a point when players decide if they have it in them to give it their all for the next World Cup.
The story was no different for the 2015 tournament. As we look forward to the 2019 World Cup, here is a look at some legends who featured in the last edition but will not be a part of the upcoming tournament
Openers - Brendon McCullum and Tillakaratne Dilshan
One of the best skippers of the 2015 World Cup, Brendon McCullum was at his destructive best in the later stages of his career, especially in the World Cup. Starting as a lower order batsman, McCullum's fierce hitting made him an obvious choice for the opening slot in ODIs, especially after his heroics in T20s.
Playing as many as 260 ODIs in his 14-year long ODI career, Baz scored 6083 runs at an impressive strike rate of 96.7. With the highest score of 166, he had 5 hundreds in ODI cricket. One of the finest glovesmen from the Kiwi soil, McCullum retired in 2016, just ahead of the World T20.
He was a part of 4 World Cups, ending up as a semi-finalist in two and leading his team to the finals in his last World Cup. He will go down as one of the finest cricketers from New Zealand.
One of the four Sri Lankans to cross the 10000 run mark, Tillakaratne Dilshan remained a bits-and-pieces player in the ODIs till he was sent out to open. An electric fielder and a more than handy part timer who chipped in with his off-breaks occasionally, he was batting in the lower middle order till 2008.
Making his debut in 1999, Dilshan rediscovered himself when he was used as an opener after a lean patch in the middle order in 2008. In a career spanning 17 years, Dilshan aggregated 10290 runs in 330 ODIs at an average of 39.27 and and a strike rate of 86.23 and had 22 ODI hundreds to his name.
He retired after the home series against Australia in 2016. Despite spending most of his early career as a middle-order batsman, Dilshan will go down as one of the best openers from the island nation.
The devastating duo of McCullum and Dilshan can make any bowling combination run for cover and hence make up the opening pair of the team.
Middle Order- Kumar Sangakkara, AB De Villiers, Michael Clarke, and Misbah-ul-Haq
One of the finest wicket-keeper batsman to play the game, Kumar Sangakkara was an elegant stroke player, a street-smart keeper and an astute thinker, who carried the burden of Lankan batting along with Mahela Jayawardene for more than a decade. Being part of 4 World Cups, Sangakkara ended up as a semi-finalist in one and a runner-up in two other before crashing out in the quarter-finals in 2015.
The former Lankan skipper had a key role in giving direction to the country's cricket with his leadership. In a 15 year long career, Sanga played 404 ODIs, scoring 14234 runs, the highest by any Sri Lankan batsman, which included 25 hundreds, which again is the highest for his nation. Sangakkara is the perfect choice for the No.3 position.
Mr 360, as called by many, AB de Villiers was someone who was a perfect amalgamation of unbelievable talent and relentless hard work. Possessing the ability to hit any part of the ground, AB was someone who could hit a hundred in 31 balls in ODIs (the fastest in ODIs) and also grind out a 220 ball 33 to save a Test.
The former Proteas skipper led his side to the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup, where they crashed out as a result of some uncharacteristically poor fielding by his team. In his 14 year career, AB played 228 games, scoring 9577 runs. One of the unique batsman to have a 50 plus average and 100 plus strike rate, he had 25 hundreds to his name.
AB's retirement came as a shocker to the cricketing world just after the 2018 IPL. He goes down as one of the most loved cricketers in the world. His enviable skill sets make him an invaluable asset in the middle order.
Starting his career during the golden age of Australian cricket, Michael Clarke was a key part of the transition after the Ponting era. Taking over from his predecessor, Clarke had the task to rebuild a team to resemble the aggression as well as the success of the past, which he managed to do quite efficiently.
The Aussie middle order mainstay for more than a decade, Clarke played 245 ODIs, scoring 7981 runs at an average of 44.59. A successful career was cut short when Clarke was plagued with recurring back injuries in the later stages of his career, forcing him to an early retirement.
He was a part of 3 World Cups, finishing as the winner in two of them. The win in 2015 can be attributed to a large extent to Clarke's captaincy. Clarke fits in as the perfect choice to lead the side.
Misbah ul Haq, who will always be remembered for his ambitious paddle scoop in the World T20 2007, was the most successful Test skipper for Pakistan in terms of the number of wins. Making his debut in 2002, Misbah finally broke into the stage in 2007 and did not look back after that.
Not only his skills but his impressive composure made him an obvious captaincy candidate and he did not disappoint. Often criticized for his slow batting, Misbah went past Wasim Akram, becoming the player with most ODI runs without a hundred.
In 162 games, Misbah scored 5122 runs at an average of 43.41, which included a best score of 96. As an experienced lower middle order batsman, Misbah fits in perfectly for the number six slot.
All-Rounders- Shane Watson and Shahid Afridi
Watson was an instrumental all-rounder
One of the finest limited overs all-rounders of the modern era, Shane Watson was an ideal package for ODI cricket. Starting his career in the middle order, he was pushed to the top, where he played some of his most destructive innings, but again batted in the middle towards the end of his career.
Making his debut in 2002, Watson had an injury-prone 13-year career, when he was completely out of action from 2005 to 2008. In 190 ODIs, he scored 5757 runs at an average of 40.54 and picked as many as 168 wickets at an impressive economy of 4.96.
Shahid Afridi, though controversial, was one of the finest players to play for Pakistan. Scoring the fastest ever ODI hundred (until Corey Anderson broke his record in 2014) as a sixteen-year-old in just his second ODI, his explosive batting prowess overshadowed his leg spin.
In a career spanning more than 20 years, Afridi played 398 ODIs, picking 395 wickets and scoring 8064 runs, numbers which put him in the list of all-time great all-rounders. Like Watson, Afridi was pushed to open after starting as a lower order batsman, but during later half of his career, Afridi mostly played as a finisher.
With Afridi coming in at 8, the batting holds great depth and he is also the only wrist spinner in the squad.
Bowlers- Daniel Vettori, Mitchell Johnson, and Morne Morkel
One of the best left-arm spinners to have played the game, Daniel Vettori had an 18-year long career spanning from 1997 to 2015. One of the finest cricketers from the Kiwi soil and someone with a rare distinction of scoring 2000 plus runs and 300 plus wickets in ODI cricket, Vettori played a total of 295 ODIs.
The former Kiwi skipper announced his retirement after his side lost the finals to Australia. His left arm spin accompanied by his abilities with the bat make him the ideal candidate for number 9, and the lead spinner of the side alongside Afridi.
Bursting into the scene with figures 4/11 against a strong Indian lineup comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Yuvraj Singh, being his victims, the fiery left-arm speedster from Australia possessed all the qualities of a fearsome fast bowler.
In a 9 year long career, Mitchell Johnson played 153 ODIs, picking up 239 wickets and announced retirement after a victorious world cup campaign. A more than handy batsman down the order, Johnson also had the highest score of 73 in ODIs and 123 in Tests. Johnson fits in the XI as one of the spearheads of the bowling attack.
Sharing the new ball with Johnson will be the lanky Proteas speedster Morne Morkel. An out-and-out fast bowler, Morkel started his career in 2008 and shared the new ball with Dale Steyn for most parts of his career.
Part of two World Cups in 2011 and 2015, Morkel played 117 ODIs, picking a total of 188 wickets at an impressive average of 25.32. The leading wicket-taker for South Africa in 2015 world cup, Morkel announced retirement after the home Test series against Australia in 2018.
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