ICC World Cup 2019: Strongest Playing XI of all 10 teams

We are only little more than a month away from cricket's biggest event - the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Hosts England will take on South Africa in the opening game of the tournament on May 30.

April 23 was the deadline for all teams to announce their squads for the mega event and the lists have been released. However, teams have until May 23 to make changes to their 15-man squad.

There were quite a few surprising inclusions and shocking exclusions in the squads. India left out Ambati Rayudu and Risabh Pant, while Mohammad Amir did not make it to Pakistan's 15-man squad. Also, Chris Morris, Josh Hazlewood, and Jofra Archer did not make it to the squad for their respective national teams.

Without much ado, let's take a look at strongest playing XI of all 10 teams in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

---

#10 Afghanistan

Rashid Khan and Nabi holds the key for Afghanistan

Afghanistan were the penultimate nation to name their World Cup squad. The biggest news from the announcement is the inclusion of Hamid Hassan, the fast bowler. Hassan last played at a senior level in 2017 and was since sidelined because of injuries.

Also, former captain Asghar Afghan is named in the squad. The biggest exclusion from the squad is Shapoor Zadran.

Mohammad Shahzad and Hazratullah Zazai will most likely open the batting for Afghanistan. They have a good middle order in Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan and Mohammad Nabi. Spin dominates their bowling with Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi key to their success.

Squad: Gulbadin Naib (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Strongest XI: Shahzad, Zazai, R Shah, Hashmatullah, A Afghan, G Naib, Nabi, Najibullah, Rashid, Dawlat, and Mujeeb.

#9 Bangladesh

Mashrafe Mortaza will lead Bangladesh in England this summer

Bangladesh have named an experienced squad for the World Cup. The biggest news is the omission of Taskin Ahmed, who had missed the last few weeks of action with an ankle injury. Also, Abu Jayed, an uncapped pacer, has been included in the squad.

Tamil Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mahmudullah, and Mushfiqur Rahim brings a lot of experience and are expected to play a huge role.

Mustafizur Rahman holds the key in the pace bowling department, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz shares the spin bowling responsibilities with Shakib Al Hasan. Bangladesh will kick off their 2019 World Cup campaign against South Africa on June 2.

Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed

Strongest XI: Tamim, Das, Sarkar, Shakib, Mushfiqur, Mahmudullah, Mortaza, Mehidy, Mustafizur, and Saifuddin.

#8 West Indies

Gayle is showing no signs of slowing down

There were quite a few notable omissions in West Indies' World Cup squad. As expected, Jason Holder will lead the side and Chris Gayle will be playing in his fifth and last World Cup.

Devendra Bishoo, Keemo Paul, and Alzarri Joseph have been left out of the side. There are also no places for Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo. Gayle will open the batting with Evin Lewis.

Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Darren Bravo will form the middle order. Andre Russell is back and holds the key to their success in the tournament. Ashley Nurse, Holder, Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas complete the list of bowlers in the XI.

Squad: Jason Holder (c), Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Ashley Nurse, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Kemar Roach, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope, Shannon Gabriel, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer.

Strongest XI: Lewis, Gayle, Hope, Hetmyer, Bravo, Pooran, Russell, Holder, Nurse, Cottrell, and Thomas.

#7 Pakistan

Abid Ali

Pakistan have a good blend of experience and youth in their World Cup squad. Sarfaraz Ahmed will lead the side, which have some exciting names in the 15-man squad. Teenage fast-bowling duo of Mohammad Hasnain and Shaheen Shah Afridi has been included, while Mohammad Amir has been omitted.

Some of the other notable names to miss out are Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Shinwari and Yasir Shah. Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik are the two most experienced players in the squad.

Hasan Ali is expected to lead the bowling attack, while Shadab Khan and Imad will take the spin bowling duties. Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq will most likely open the batting.

Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (Capt), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Junaid Khan, Muhammad Hasnain.

Strongest XI: Fakhar, Imam, Babar, Shoaib, Hafeez, Sarfaraz, Imad, Shadab, Afridi, Hasan Ali, and Junaid.

#6 Sri Lanka

Karunaratne named Sri Lanka's ODI captain

Sri Lanka have a lot of surprises in their World Cup squad. Sri Lanka have struggled a lot over the past couple of years and have failed to win games on a consistent basis.

Milinda Siriwardana, Jeffrey Vandersay, and Jeevan Mendis were the surprise inclusions in the squad. There were also some shocking omissions. Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dinesh Chandimal, Upul Tharanga and Akila Dananjaya were dropped from the squad.

Dimuth Karunaratne, who has not played an ODI since 2015, was named the captain. The presence of Lasith Malinga and Angelo Matthews will provide some experience to a relatively unsettled unit.

Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffery Vandersay, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana

Strongest XI: Karunaratne, Thirimanne, K Perera, Fernando, K Mendis, Mathews, T Perera, Udana, J Mendis, Malinga, and Lakmal.

#5 New Zealand

Image Courtesy: icc-cricket.com

New Zealand were the first team to announce the squad for the World Cup. Kane Williamson will lead the side which has a lot of familiar names.

Ross Taylor will be featuring in his fourth World Cup, while Martin Guptill and Tim Southee will be playing in their third. The biggest surprise in the team is the inclusion of wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, who is yet to make his ODI debut.

Todd Astle and Doug Bracewell are notable exclusions from the Kiwis squad. New Zealand play Sri Lanka in their first World Cup game on June 1.

Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wk), Tom Blundell (wk), Mitchell Santner, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Colin Munro, Ish Sodhi, Henry Nicholls, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Jimmy Neesham

Strongest XI: Guptill, Nicholls, Williamson, Taylor, Latham, Grandhomme, Santner, Neesham, Ferguson, Henry, and Boult.

#4 South Africa

Can they win their first title?

One of the unluckiest teams in the history of the World Cup, South Africa have failed to win the tournament so far, despite some great performances. Hashim Amla finds a place in the squad because of his experience and Dale Steyn is back.

Though it has some experienced players, the squad is not strong enough when compared with previous South African squads at the World Cups. Heinrich Klaasen, Reeza Hendricks, and Chris Morris have failed to grab a spot in the 15-man squad.

Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis, and Quinton de Kock will have to play a huge role in the tournament if South Africa are to qualify for the semi-finals.

Squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock (wk), Hashim Amla, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, JP Duminy, Dwaine Pretorius, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi

Strongest XI: De Kock, Amla, Faf, van der Dussen, Duminy, Pretorius, Miller, Rabada, Steyn, Ngidi, and Tahir.

#3 England

England has some fearsome batsmen in the squad

The hosts will start the tournament as one of the favourites. The World No.1 side have played some exceptional white ball cricket over the past couple of years and have tasted success at home and on overseas tours.

Eoin Morgan will lead the side which have some fearsome hitters. Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy will open the batting, while the middle order comprises of Joe Root, Morgan, Jos Buttler, and Ben Stokes. The talking point of the squad is the absence of Jofra Archer, who has been in phenomenal form over the past 12 months.

However, England selectors have clarified that the squad announced was a "preliminary" one, and they would finalise their final 15-man World Cup squad after the ODI series against Pakistan, which ends on May 19.

Squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Strongest XI: Bairstow, Roy, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Stokes, Ali, Woakes, Rashid, Plunkett, and Wood.

#2 Australia

Smith and Warner back for Australia

After a disastrous 2018, Australia fought their way back into the game with series wins in India and UAE (against Pakistan). Usman Khawaja has been a revelation, while Shaun Marsh has also been amongst runs.

The return of David Warner and Steve Smith has strengthened their batting order. Warner has been in phenomenal form in the IPL and is the leading run scorer in the tournament so far. Alex Carey will take the gloves.

Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, and Ashton Turner are unlucky to miss out on the 15-man squad. Bowling department looks strong with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, and Jhye Richardson.

Squad: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Alex Carey, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Pat Cummins, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon

Strongest XI: Finch, Warner, Khawaja, Marsh, Smith, Maxwell, Carey, Starc, Cummins, Zampa, and Jhye Richardson.

#1 India

India named a strong 15-man squad

India named their 15-man squad on April 15, which had a few surprises. The Virat Kohli-led side have a phenomenal top order but their middle order has not been so convincing in recent months. Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli are expected to play a key role in batting, while Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will most likely share the new ball.

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal will take spin bowling duties with Ravindra Jadeja as their back-up. Tamil Nadu duo of Vijay Shakar and Dinesh Karthik found a place in the squad. Notable exclusions were Rishabh Pant and Ambati Rayudu.

Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami.

Strongest XI: Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Rahul, Dhoni, Jadhav, Pandya, Bhuvneshwar, Kuldeep, Chahal, and Bumrah.