Top 5 active players with the highest batting average in ICC World Cup history

The itinerary of all the elite cricketing teams for the next few months is replete with home and away ODI assignments as the teams are looking to get their combinations right before the mega tournament commences at the end of May this year. A consistent batting line up is of paramount importance for any team to win a high profile tournament like the World Cup.

Over the years few batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, and Kumar Sangakkara have performed consistently in the World Cup matches and assisted towards their team's successful World Cup campaigns. In this slide show, we are going to take a look at non-retired players with the best average among their contemporaries in World Cup matches they have played so far.

Several premier ODI batsmen of this generation like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root surprisingly failed to secure a spot in this list.

Here are top 5 active players with highest batting average -

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#5 Yuvraj Singh (India) - 52.71

Yuvraj Singh

Talismanic southpaw Yuvraj Singh has participated in 3(2003,2007,2011) World Cup tournaments so far in his lengthy career. He played a pivotal role in India's victorious campaign during the 2011 World Cup and also was the winner of the 'man of the tournament' award for his all-around performances.

He has played 23 World cup matches and scored 738 runs at an impressive average of 52.71, including a solitary century and 7 fifties. He scored his WC runs at a strike rate of 90.33

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#4 Sean Williams (Zimbabwe) - 54.66

Sean Williams

The left-hander has played in 3(2007,2011.2015) World Cup tournaments so far and is set to miss this years' edition as Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the World Cup. In spite of Zimbabwe's dismal run in the recent past, Williams has been the lone shining beacon of light for his nation as he has played some wonderful knocks last year in ODIs as well as Test matches. The return of Brendan Taylor along with Sean Williams' emergence promises some hope for a resurgence for the fading Zimbabwe cricket team going ahead.

He has played 11 World cup matches and scored 492 runs at an impressive average of 54.66 including 5 half-centuries. He scored his WC runs at an astonishing strike rate of 101.23

#3 Faf du Plessis (South Africa) - 53.90

Faf Du Plessis during Australia vs South Africa - 3rd ODI last year

Faf du Plessis has been one of the linchpins of Proteas batting line-up over the last few years and has been leading his team from the front. He has played several crucial knocks coming in at one down and is expected to be South Africa's mainstay in the batting line-up during the upcoming World Cup in the absence of the retired AB de Villiers.

He has played 14 World cup matches and scored 539 runs at an impressive average of 53.90, including a solitary century and 4 fifties. He scored his WC runs at a strike rate of 84.48

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#2 Steve Smith (Australia) - 56.87

Steve Smith

Former Australian captain Steve Smith has participated in 2(2011, 2015) World Cup tournaments in his career so far. He is currently serving a ban due to his involvement in the Sandpaper Gate incident and is expected to make his international cricket return in time to participate in the upcoming World Cup and strengthen the fragile Aussies batting department going into the tournament.

He has played 14 World cup matches and scored 455 runs at an impressive average of 56.87, including a solitary century and 4 fifties. He scored his WC runs at a strike rate of 92.85

#1 Martin Guptill (New Zealand) - 57.78

Enigmatic Kiwi's ODI Opening batsmen - Martin Guptill

Flamboyant Kiwi opener Martin Guptill has participated in 2(2011,2015)World Cup tournaments so far in his career. He is currently considered as one of the best ODI openers in the world along with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Hashim Amla, Shikhar Dhawan, and David Warner. Guptill scored his career-best score of 237* in the quarter-final match of the 2015 World Cup against the West Indies team. This is also the highest individual score for any player in World Cup history.

Martin Guptill has the best batting average in World Cup matches among all the current international players. Guptill, along with Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, is expected to anchor the inexperienced Kiwis batting line-up during the upcoming tournament.

He has played 17 World cup matches and scored 809 runs at an impressive average of 57.78, including 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries. He scored his World cup runs at a strike rate of 89.39