World Cup 2019: Legendary combined XI who may be playing their last World Cup

The 12th edition of the Cricket World Cup is set to be hosted by England & Wales. The mega event returns to the country after two decades. 2019 World Cup also shows the return of the Round-Robin format, in which each side would face every other team in the league stage.

Unlike the previous two World Cups, there is a reduction in the number of teams from 14 to 10. Associate and Affiliate countries have expressed their concerns over it, but ICC is of the opinion that such sides reduce the competitiveness at the biggest cricketing stage.

A World Cup medal is something that every cricketer would want to possess in his kitty when he retires and for some players, this might be their last World Cup. Hence, we pick a legendary 11 who may be playing their last World Cup.

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#1 Chris Gayle

Gayle scored two 100s and two 50s in his last series

West Indies has always given entertainers to the game of cricket. The biggest in this millennium era is the Jamaican batsman Chris Gayle. Right from his debut match against India in 1999, he has provided explosive starts for every team he has played for.

The self-proclaimed Universe Boss has been prolific in the shorter formats as he has been dominating the bowlers all over the world.

He is one of the six players to have six or more 150+ scores in the 50-over format. He has done well in big tournaments notably, his man of the series performance almost helped the West Indies successfully defend the 2006 Champions trophy.

The 39-year old will be playing his fifth World Cup and has already announced that he will be retiring after the tournament. Hence, cricket fans will be eagerly waiting to see the big man for one final time.

#2 Hashim Amla

Amla's record in ODI is better than Kohli and de Villiers

Many experts are of the view that Virat Kohli has been phenomenal in creating records in ODIs. But Hashim Amla has been breaking those records surreptitiously and has set very high standards.

The fact that he holds the record for the fastest to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 ODI runs speaks volume about him.

Opening the innings for South Africa, he has played the sheet anchor role to build the base for the lower order. He does convert the starts into big hundreds, which is the most important trait of an opener.

The 36-year old hasn't been in good form in recent times, but South Africa will be hoping to see runs from the bat of Amla. Having achieved a lot in Tests, World Cup is one hurdle that Hashim would like to cross.

#3 Mohammad Hafeez

Hafeez has contributed with both bat and ball

Pakistan has always been considered a dangerous side in limited overs format because of the presence of efficient all-rounders.

Be it the likes of Imran Khan in the 90s or Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq in the 2000s, these guys had the ability to change the course of a match with both the bat and the ball.

Mohammad Hafeez is one such player who has contributed to Pakistan with his organized batting technique and subtle off-spin variations.

Despite making his debut in 2003, he took eight years to claim a permanent place in the squad. 2011 saw him achieve a rare feat of scoring 1000 runs and taking 30 wickets in a calendar year.

The 38-year old is a difficult customer to get away with for batsmen as he deceives them with a subtle change in line and length which is why he is called "The Professor" by his teammates. Hafeez will be hoping to give a major contribution to his team in the upcoming World Cup.

#4 Faf du Plessis

Faf as captain and batsman is key to SA's chances

Quite often South Africa has found themselves on the wrong side of the knockouts in ICC tournaments. As a result, they have earned the unwanted tag - "chokers" and the way their players succumb under pressure seems to justify that tag. Faf du Plessis is one player who doesn't get affected by that.

He showed it to the world in his debut series when he stepped up every single time to win the series. His calmness elevated him to South Africa's T20 captaincy just a year after his debut. It was his knock that ousted India out of the tournament in the 2012 World T20.

Du Plessis came close to becoming the first man ever to score four ODI hundreds in four consecutive matches before being dismissed for 96.

The 34-year old holds the record for playing most international matches (108) before scoring a duck and only the second captain to score hundreds in all international formats. South Africa will be depending heavily on Faf's captaincy in this World Cup.

#5 Ross Taylor

Taylor's customary tongue-out celebration

Touted as one of New Zealand's best batsmen ever, Ross Taylor has contributed to the team immensely.

Adopting an aggressive style of play, he has been carrying the middle order. He showed it to the world in his third match smashing 128 against Sri Lanka.

The right-hander is known for his pull shot over square leg and scores pre-dominantly on the leg side. But he has improved his all-around game and has become the main batsman for the Black Caps. Limited overs format suits his style of play as the 35-year old has scored more centuries (20) than any other New Zealander in ODIs.

He is just 12 runs away from becoming the leading run-scorer in ODIs for New Zealand. Kane Williamson will be depending heavily on the experienced man to deliver the goods. With their lower middle order lacking big game practice, it is this man who will be key to the progress of the Black Caps.

#6 Shoaib Malik

Malik is one of the consistent performers for Pakistan

Pakistan is one team that has blown hot and cold in every ICC tournament. Temperament is one factor that many Pakistanis seem to be lacking.

But Shoaib Malik has handled pressure situations very well throughout his career. Although he doesn't possess the power game as that of the modern-day players, he is as effective as them.

He is a very versatile player and stepped up whenever there was a weakness in the batting order. He holds an unusual record of batting in every position except 11th in ODIs.

He has been a keen contributor with both bat and ball for Pakistan. In fact, he is one among the only two current players to have scored 7500 runs and take 150 wickets.

With such a tight batting technique, he will play a huge role in the middle overs. With him being the longest-serving current international player, the 37-year old would like to hang up his boots with a World Cup medal.

#7 Mahendra Singh Dhoni

The iconic six that sealed the 2011 WC for India

MS Dhoni has tasted success in the limited overs format like no other captain or player. As a batsman, Dhoni has taken the art of ODI batting just like fish to water. He still holds the record of being the fastest to No:1 in the ICC ODI rankings after just 42 innings.

With India's middle order raw and in doubts, the huge calming presence of Dhoni holds the key for India. He has attacked the spinners from the onset in the last 18 months which has silenced his critics.

His wicket-keeping has bettered with time as some of his stumpings in recent years are unbelievably quick.

His presence behind the stumps gives a huge boost to the wrist spinning duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.

MSD will get a thunderous reception every time he steps on to the field in the upcoming World Cup. His fans are hoping to see him lift the cup for one final time.

#8 Dale Steyn

Steyn distraught after failing to defend 12 runs in the semi-finals of 2015 WC

The one thing that is associated with great fast bowlers is the upright seam and the ability to swing the ball both ways. Dale Steyn had this and much more to his arsenal which instilled fear in the minds of batsmen.

He has that beautiful outswinger which helped South Africa pick wickets with the new ball. His ability to use the old ball and trouble the batsman with the reverse swing took him a step ahead of his generation of bowlers. The way he used to nail the yorkers with 90+ mph speed has been a nightmare for the opposition.

Injuries have plagued Steyn's career as he was out of the team for almost two years. But the fiery bowler has come back strongly and looked impressive in the IPL.

The 35-year old's experience will be important for the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi as the duo will be playing their first World Cup.

#9 Mashrafe Mortaza

Mortaza is the longest-serving captain for Bangladesh

Mashrafe Mortaza has been one of the lynchpins in the growth of Bangladesh cricket. He shot to fame when his man of the match performance of 4/38 knocked India out of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Along with his colleagues in Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mushfiqur Rahim, he has helped establish Bangladesh as one of the forces in world cricket.

More than being a bowler, Mashrafe has been an inspirational captain, leading them to series wins over South Africa and India.

He is also the only Bangladeshi captain to have a win percentage of over 50. Having refrained himself from playing Tests and T20s, the pacer has been concentrating on the ODI format. The 35-year old became the most capped Bangladeshi player recently.

Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in ODIs will use all his energy in the upcoming World Cup where his team might finish in the top four.

#10 Lasith Malinga

Malinga will be leading the Sri Lankan bowling attack

Lasith Malinga is one of the finest limited overs bowlers to have played the game. His toe-crushing yorker at the base of the stumps was one of the most lethal deliveries in World cricket. What made him even more effective was his deceptive slower ball yorker without any change in action.

Malinga has a special relationship with the World Cup as he is the only bowler to take two hat-tricks in the event. The relationship started off in the 2007 tournament where he picked up four wickets in four consecutive balls against South Africa - a feat which no other player has achieved in any other format.

Injuries kept the 35-year old out of the team which resulted in him contemplating retirement. But Sri Lanka's dismal performance in the last few years prompted selectors to bring him back. Malinga would expect to finish his ODI career on a high.

#11 Imran Tahir

Tahir's celebratory run is loved by all

Imran Tahir - the Pakistan-born South African made his debut in his 30s because of the rules required to make him eligible to play for another country.

Despite starting very late, the leg-spinner has had a fantastic career in the limited overs format. The fact that no spinner has picked more wickets than him in the ODIs ever since his debut is a proof of the same.

The uniqueness of Tahir has been his skill to turn the ball at high speeds. The wide run-up also creates a tough angle for the batsman to play the ball. Realizing this fact, his then captain Graeme Smith decided to unleash him straight into the 2011 World Cup.

Tahir might not have played as many games as the other players in this line-up, but his impact is second to none. The 40-year old has announced his retirement from ODIs after the World Cup. Cricket fans are waiting to see him pick wickets and go on that famous celebratory run.