Picking a World Best XI from ODI Cricket in 2014
With a World Cup looming, one-day cricket was a priority for international teams during 2014.
There have been plenty of outstanding performers in 50-over cricket, but it wasn't possible to squeeze all of them into our final line-up for the team of the year.
To that extent, there needs to be some apologies to those who did not make it.
With the ball, Sri Lanka spinner Sachithra Senanayake failed to get past a compatriot to make the XI, and there was no room for the potent South African pace pairing of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.
As for the batsmen who did not quite make it, openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Shikhar Dhawan can feel aggrieved to not make the final cut.
Mahela Jayawardene's average of 32.53 counted against him in the final reckoning, despite scoring 846 runs, while New Zealand duo Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor both had impressive figures but did not play as many games as their rivals.
Steve Smith—despite hitting two centuries for Australia—and Faf du Plessis of South Africa were extremely unfortunate to miss out on spots in the middle order.
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Hashim Amla (South Africa)
1 of 11
Hashim Amla earned a place at the top of the order by hitting five centuries in one-day cricket over the past 12 months—no other player in the world managed more than four.
What makes the run-scoring feats of the batsman even more impressive is that all of his hundreds came on tour. In fact, Amla did not even play an ODI on South African soil during 2014.
He had to wait until July to play his first 50-over match for the Proteas at all—then immediately hit back-to-back three-figure scores in the series against Sri Lanka.
ODI runs: 892
Average: 52.47
Aaron Finch (Australia)
2 of 11
Prior to 2014, Aaron Finch had made one century in 18 ODI appearances for Australia. Now, he begins the new year with five to his name.
The opening batsman started his year in fine style, making 121 in Melbourne against England in January. In the same series he also hit 108 in Perth, though that innings ended up being in a losing cause.
Finch's other two hundreds both came against South Africa, in Harare and Canberra, as they sandwiched a lean series against Pakistan that saw him manage just 32 runs in three innings.
ODI runs: 790
Average: 43.88
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
3 of 11
Kumar Sangakkara completed the double in 2014—he was the leading run-scorer in both Test and ODI cricket.
Sri Lanka played plenty of one-day games over the course of the last 12 months, allowing their wicketkeeper-batsman to pile on the runs. He hit four centuries and eight half-centuries in 28 appearances in total.
The ever-reliable Sangakkara made five successive scores of 50 or more during the home series against England.
However, he is unlikely to appear in this team at the end of 2015 having announced he will be retiring from one-day action for his country after the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, per ESPN Cricinfo.
ODI runs: 1,256
Average: 46.51
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Virat Kohli (India)
4 of 11
Virat Kohli scored four ODI centuries during 2014, taking his career tally to 21 already at the age of 26.
The right-handed batsman struck two hundreds while captaining India in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, including 139 not out in Ranchi in November to seal a series sweep over Sri Lanka.
Boasting a career average of 52.61, Kohli—who has now been named as India's new Test skipper—will be a key player for his country as they bid to retain the World Cup in February and March.
ODI runs: 1,054
Average: 58.55
Joe Root (England)
5 of 11
England may still be trying to work out their best line-up in ODI cricket, but Joe Root will certainly be part of it after a run-filled 2014.
The Yorkshireman hit three centuries over the course of the year; his knock of 107 against West Indies at North Sound was particularly impressive considering he was batting with a broken thumb.
Root–who picked up eight wickets in 2015 with his off-spin—showed his ability to adapt with 104 not out against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
He has now cemented himself at four in the England batting order in one-day action for the foreseeable future and has also been tipped as a future captain of his country.
ODI runs: 872
Average: 43.60
AB de Villiers (South Africa)
6 of 11
AB de Villiers was a model of consistency in 2014—in half of his 16 ODI innings, he managed to make over 50 or more, helping him finish the year with a superb average. He also boasted a strike rate of 114.45.
South Africa's one-day skipper smashed 108 from just 71 deliveries against Sri Lanka in Hambantota to help inspire his side to a victory that also clinched the three-match series.
Australia also suffered at the hands, or bat, of the 30-year-old; he made an unbeaten 136 in Harare to help the Proteas chase down a target of 328 with an astounding 20 balls to spare.
Although he has kept wicket in one-day cricket for South Africa on plenty of occasions, De Villiers is such a good fielder that he will leave the gloves to Kumar Sangakkara in this team.
ODI runs: 879
Average: 73.25
Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
7 of 11
Angelo Mathews has certainly been a busy captain in 2014—he has led Sri Lanka in 32 one-day games, including series in Bangladesh, India and England.
The all-rounder registered his first ODI hundred against India, though his unbeaten 139 would end up being in a losing cause in Ranchi. He also hit nine half-centuries with his average helped by 11 not outs.
With the ball Mathews picked up 18 wickets and had a miserly economy rate of 4.59. He sent down 11 maidens, a number only England spinner James Tredwell matched in the international arena.
Sri Lanka's skipper will hope he can carry his form into 2015 as he looks to lead his country to World Cup glory.
ODI runs: 1,244
Average: 62.20
ODI wickets: 18
Average: 36.16
Chris Jordan (England)
8 of 11
In the absence of front-line seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, Chris Jordan has taken the chance to press his claims to be a regular in England's one-day side.
While he still can be expensive at times, the Sussex paceman does have the useful habit of picking up wickets—he claimed 29 of them in 2014, including career-best figures of 5-29 against Sri Lanka.
Jordan also offers something in the other two facets of the game. While yet to fire on the international stage just yet, he is capable of being a dangerous hitter down the batting order.
He also has the ability to take stunning catches in the field—as Australia opener David Warner found out to his cost.
ODI wickets: 29
Average: 31.34
Mohammed Shami (India)
9 of 11
No seamer took more ODI wickets in 2014 than Mohammed Shami—a bowler who proves you don't have to be of express pace to prosper in limited-overs action.
The 24-year-old found conditions to his liking against New Zealand at the start of the year, picking up 11 wickets in the five-match series and then returned home to claim career-best figures of 4-36 against West Indies.
Although his economy rate was above six over the course of the year, Shami's strike rate of 22.3 (given the importance of taking wickets in 50-over cricket) means he warrants a place in the final XI.
ODI wickets: 38
Average: 22.94
Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka)
10 of 11
Ajantha Mendis may have finished the year out of Sri Lanka's ODI team, but the spinner still picked up 38 wickets in his 17 appearances in 2014.
The 29-year-old picked up 11 wickets during the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, though he was actually left out of the team that lifted the trophy, with victory over Pakistan in the final of the competition.
Despite being unable to hold down a regular place in the XI, Mendis was still named in Sri Lanka's preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup. He will hope to not just be carrying the drinks during the tournament.
ODI wickets: 38
Average: 21.63
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
11 of 11
Ankle surgery ended Lasith Malinga's year early, though the Sri Lanka paceman still finished 2014 with a highly respectable tally of 29 wickets in 17 ODI appearances.
He twice claimed five-wicket hauls in 50-over cricket, both against Pakistan during his country's successful Asia Cup campaign in Bangladesh.
However, the brilliance of Malinga is in his ability to keep batsmen guessing. His round-armed action and cleverly disguised slower ball means he is tough to hit at the death, as he showed at Lord's when he denied Jos Buttler and England in a dramatic finish.
Sri Lanka will hope their star's turn with the ball is fit and firing by the time the World Cup comes around. Fingers will be crossed when he makes his international comeback against New Zealand.
ODI wickets: 29
Average: 26.48
All statistics were provided by ESPN Cricinfo.
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