Cricket World Cup 2015: Ranking Top 15 Batsmen of the Group Stage
The Cricket World Cup 2015 has provided a feast of big hitting, but who were the top performers with the bat during the group stage?
With a spectacular knock against the West Indies, AB de Villiers maintained his incredible form. As have Sri Lanka duo Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, who show no sign of slowing down despite being closer to 40 than 30.
The Aussies have joined the party too, with Glenn Maxwell finally delivering on his huge potential. The Indian top order is shaping up nicely in time for the knockout stages, with Shikhar Dhawan leading from the front. Co-hosts New Zealand are also looking impressive, with Brendon McCullum dominating early on.
The Associate countries have boosted their credentials thanks to impressive efforts from the likes of Brendan Taylor, Shaiman Anwar and Ed Joyce.
All this batting firepower, and we've not even mentioned Chris Gayle, David Miller, Hashim Amla, Misbah-ul-Haq and Virat Kohli.
Read on to see who the top 15 batsmen from the group stage were.
Statistics are courtesy of ESPNcricinfo.
Ranking Criteria
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This is the second time we've ranked the batsmen at this World Cup, but we've tweaked the criteria a little this time.
Instead of rating the players solely on total runs scored, this latest list acknowledges the opposition, conditions and the state of the game.
For example, a match-winning 50 in a tight run chase against a top-class opponent would receive more recognition than a century on a featherbed against a minnow.
As cricket is in the entertainment business, style points are on offer too. The more spectacular the knock the better.
Honourable Mentions
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Batsmen have dominated the opening stages of the 2015 World Cup and 35 centuries have already been scored. There is only room for 15 players in this list, so there are some high-profile absentees.
Chief among them are South Africa's Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and David Miller. Also missing out are India's Suresh Raina and Sri Lankan centurions Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne.
Will Porterfield's superb century couldn't quite sneak him into the top 15, either. It will come as no surprise that there's a dearth of players from England.
15. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 183
Average: 45.75
Strike rate: 82.80
He's not even among the top-30 scorers in this year's World Cup, so how has Kane Williamson ended up in 15th place in the rankings? By playing the most nerveless innings of the competition to date.
Set a victory target of just 152 against Australia, New Zealand were coasting to victory at 131 for four. Five wickets and 14 runs later, the Kiwis were staring a seemingly unthinkable defeat in the face.
Despite the best efforts of Glenn Maxwell to psych out the Black Caps, Williamson kept his nerve in superb style, smashing Pat Cummins over long-on for six to seal a momentous victory.
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14. Brad Haddin (Australia)
4 of 17
Innings: Four
Runs: 119
Average: 39.66
Strike rate: 163.01
As stated in the ranking criteria, this list isn't based solely on weight of runs. Brad Haddin's appearance at 14 is a case in point.
Often arriving at the crease at the business end of the innings, Haddin has produced a string of stunning cameos. His 25 against Sri Lanka came from just nine deliveries; the 31 against England took just 14.
Even when his colleagues were losing their heads against New Zealand, Haddin stood firm with 43.
Of players with over 100 runs, only Brendon McCullum and AB de Villiers have a better strike rate.
13. Chris Gayle (West Indies)
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Innings: Five
Runs: 279
Average: 55.80
Strike rate: 108.56
Chris Gayle's batting figures from the group stage have a lopsided look. Against Zimbabwe, he scored an amazing 215. In his other four innings, he managed a combined total of just 64.
The Jamaican's record-breaking double century is enough to sneak him into the top 15. When people look back at the 2015 World Cup, Gayle's exploits will be among the most memorable.
Gayle missed his side's final group game against the UAE with a back injury, per NDTV Sports. If the West Indies are to spring a surprise against New Zealand, they'll need a fit and firing Gayle.
12. Virat Kohli (India)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 301
Average: 75.25
Strike rate: 85.26
Virat Kohli confirmed his position as the poster boy of Indian cricket with a superb century in India's win over Pakistan in their opening match of the World Cup.
Scores of 46, 33, 33*, 44* and 38 in the five innings that followed suggest that India's latest batting superstar remains in good touch.
Indian fans will be expecting more than just cameos in the knockout stages, starting against Bangladesh on Thursday.
11. Sean Williams (Zimbabwe)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 339
Average: 67.80
Strike rate: 109.00
Few would have expected Zimbabwe to have one of the top six run scorers after the group stage of the 2015 World Cup—let alone two.
Sean Williams was consistency personified, passing 50 four times. His efforts weren't enough to secure a win, though.
Zimbabwe were competitive in all their games and gave South Africa and India a serious fright. Despite Williams' best efforts, their hopes remained unfulfilled.
10. Shaiman Anwar (United Arab Emirates)
8 of 17
Innings: Six
Runs: 311
Average: 51.83
Strike rate: 91.47
The Associate nations and their players have given a strong case for their inclusion in the 2019 World Cup. Perhaps none more so than the UAE's Shaiman Anwar.
The 35-year-old scored a maiden ODI century against Ireland, as well as 50s against Zimbabwe and Pakistan.
Anwar's total of 311 runs is the most by a batsman from an Associate Member nation, eclipsing Ryan ten Doeschate's 2011 record.
9. Misbah-Ul-Haq (Pakistan)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 316
Average: 52.66
Strike rate: 77.64
Misbah-ul-Haq has been his usual calming presence in a sometimes brittle Pakistani top order. The skipper has passed 50 in four of his six visits to the crease.
Typical of his efforts was a steady 39 in the winner-take-all clash against Ireland.
The knock on Misbah is that he scores his runs too slowly. If he can let Pakistan's more aggressive batsmen play around him, then that tardy scoring rate may not matter.
The Pakistan bowling attack is looking dangerous. If Misbah and company can give them something to bowl at, they could give Australia a fright.
8. Tillakaratne Dilshan
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Innings: Six
Runs: 395
Average: 79.00
Strike rate: 98.25
Sri Lanka's World Cup challenge was always going to stand or fall on how their experienced core of batsmen performed. It's a case of so far, so good for the ageing stars.
Tillakaratne Dilshan has been a steady presence at the top of the order with two hundreds and a 50 to his name.
Arguably, the 38-year-old's best effort was his 62 against Australia. Chasing a gargantuan target of 377, Dilshan took the attack straight to the Aussie seamers, smashing Mitchell Johnson for six fours in an over.
With Lasith Malinga returning to form and fitness, Sri Lanka are bubbling at the right time. They'll be dangerous in the knockout rounds.
7. Shikhar Dhawan (India)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 337
Average: 56.16
Strike rate: 94.13
It's hard to credit now, but prior to the World Cup, serious questions were asked about whether Shikhar Dhawan should have been dropped from the India squad.
The left-handed opener has answered his critics in style with a string of fine innings. The India management deserve credit for showing faith in their mercurial star.
MS Dhoni has certainly been impressed with Dhawan's recent run. Speaking in a press conference, per Wisden India, the India's skipper said:
"He’s not someone who is happy getting a 50. He knows that the team needs him to score big runs. So once he gets to his 50, he hits the next milestone, which is a hundred. With him doing that, it becomes slightly easy for some of the other guys to bat around him.
"
He'll be hoping for more of the same in the knockout stages.
6. Mahmudullah (Bangladesh)
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Innings: Five
Runs: 344
Average: 86.00
Strike rate: 82.89
Have Bangladesh finally found the batting star they've been yearning for? Mahmudullah has looked the real deal in this World Cup.
The 29-year-old became the first Bangladesh player to score a World Cup century in the win over England, and he repeated the trick with an even better effort against New Zealand.
He is only the second Bangladesh batsman to reach three figures in back-to-back ODIs.
Chances are that Bangladesh's World Cup run will stall against India. Mahmudullah's efforts have already made their campaign a memorable one.
5. Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 433
Average: 72.16
Strike rate: 106.91
Brendan Taylor has been Mr Consistent for Zimbabwe, posting a string of decent scores. As well as the 29-year-old has batted, his efforts will be tinged with frustration.
Zimbabwe battled gamely against superior opposition but could only get over the line against the UAE. After a superb century against Ireland, Taylor could only watch as the width of John Mooney's boot prevented his side completing an impressive chase. As it was, the Africans were left frustrated once again.
Best of the lot was a superb 138 against India.
ESPNcricinfo reports that Taylor will be taking a break from international action to resume his county career with Nottinghamshire later this year.
His absence will leave an enormous gap in the Zimbabwe middle order.
4. Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
14 of 17
Innings: Four
Runs: 257
Average: 64.25
Strike rate: 190.37
Glenn Maxwell repaid the faith of the Australia selectors in some style during the group stage. After 43 innings of his ODI career, the 26-year-old hadn't reached three figures. He put that statistical anomaly to bed with a spectacular effort against Sri Lanka.
His 53-ball 102 at the SCG included 10 fours and four six and was a masterclass in power hitting. Maxwell was not too shabby in scoring 66 against England and 88 versus Afghanistan, either.
His strike rate of 190.37 is even better than Brendon McCullum's, and there are fewer better recommendations than that.
3. Brendon McCullum (New Zealand)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 257
Average: 42.83
Strike rate: 187.59
Many batsmen have scored more runs than Brendon McCullum at this year's World Cup, but few have made as much of an impact as the New Zealand skipper.
McCullum's strike rate of 187.59 is beaten only by Glenn Maxwell, and his top-order fireworks paved the way for wins over England and Australia.
The 33-year-old's hyper-aggressive style has put opponents firmly on the back foot and made life much more comfortable for New Zealand's powerful middle order.
Throw in some innovative captaincy and spectacular efforts in the field and McCullum has been one of the players of the tournament so far.
2. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 417
Average: 83.40
Strike rate: 144.29
AB de Villiers gave notice that a big World Cup was in store with his demolition of the West Indies in Sydney.
The 31-year-old hasn't quite scaled those dizzy heights in the three games that followed but scores of 24 against Ireland, 77 against Pakistan and 99 against the UAE put him among the World Cup elite.
Most impressive was that 77 against a resurgent Pakistan. Chasing a target of 222, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis were the only other batsmen to pass 20 that day.
De Villiers couldn't quite get South Africa over the line but gave Pakistan a huge fright with an exquisite innings of raw power and pinpoint precision.
As ESPNcricinfo's George Dobell, not a man prone to hyperbole, tweeted that we were watching a genius in action.
De Villiers has already set the record for the most sixes in a single World Cup with 20 and the most in World Cup history with 36.
Hopefully there'll be more fireworks in the quarter-finals and beyond.
1. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
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Innings: Six
Runs: 496
Average: 124.00
Strike rate: 119.51
Kumar Sangakkara has rewritten the ODI record books at this year's World Cup. The 37-year-old followed up centuries against Bangladesh, England and Australia with another magnificent effort against Scotland.
In reaching 124 against the Scots, Sangakkara became the first player to score ODI hundreds in four successive matches.
So how does Sangakkara explain his golden run? Speaking to Sky Sports (via the Daily Mail) after his man-of-the-match innings against Scotland, the 37-year said:
"Sometimes things just fall into place, everything clicks. Maybe it’s because I’m making a lot of better decisions, the right decisions at the right time, taking risks at the right time, being more calculated, being a bit more positive. I don’t know what that one thing is, but whatever it is, it’s working for me at the moment, and I’d like to hold on to that for as long as I can.
"
If he does hold on for another three games, another global title could be heading in Sri Lanka's direction.
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