Cricket World Cup 2015: Best XI of the Tournament
Sometimes, it felt like it was never going to end, but the 2015 Cricket World Cup is finally done and dusted. Australia lifted their fifth World Cup as the new trend of host nations winning the Cup continued.
The World Cup had some fantastic individual performances, and everyone will have their opinions on who should and should not be in the tournament. The ICC has released its XI already, and we’ve put together our own selection. These things are incredibly subjective so do add your thoughts in the comments as to who you think should be in the World Cup team of the tournament.
Martin Guptill
1 of 11
547 runs in nine games @ 68.37
Martin Guptill topped the World Cup run scoring charts. With two hundreds (one of which was a double ton) and a fifty, Guptill was one of the most entertaining scorers at the tournament. His double ton cements his spot as opener for this World Cup XI.
Kumar Sangakkara (wicketkeeper)
2 of 11
541 runs in seven games @ 108.20
Kumar Sangkkara's record four centuries earns him the second opening berth in the team. The legendary Sri Lankan bowed out of one-day cricket having had an immense tournament. It's just a pity he couldn't manage a big score in his final game.
AB de Villiers
3 of 11
482 runs in eight games @ 96.40
AB de Villers was by far South Africa's most impressive batsman. His ability to completely change the course of a game is simply exquisite. Although his captaincy is still lacking at times, his ability with the bat is redefining the way modern-day cricket is approached.
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Steve Smith
4 of 11
402 runs in eight games @ 67.00
Steve Smith, the Australia captain-in-waiting, proved his worth with the bat during Australia's World Cup winning campaign. Four fifties and a century in his eight games was by far the most consistent returns of all the Aussie batsmen and Smith's evolution from slogger to classic batsman has been something to behold.
Brendon McCullum (captain)
5 of 11
328 runs in nine games @ 36.44
There is another man whose name begins with a "B" who is very unlucky to miss out on this spot. Zimbabwe's Brendan Taylor scored 433 runs in six matches at an average of 72.16. In a struggling team, his effort deserves to be recognised. However, he is pipped to a spot in the World Cup XI because of Brendon McCullum's captaincy credentials and McCullum's ability to turn a match on its head from the get-go.
Glenn Maxwell
6 of 11
324 runs in eight matches @ 64.80 and six wickets @ 36.33
Glenn Maxwell's all-round ability earns him a place in a World Cup XI. He was far more impressive with the bat than with the ball, but having that extra bowling option is a massive boost for captains in the modern era. Maxwell might still have a long way to go to crack it at Test level, but he is becoming increasingly valuable in limited-overs cricket and is very much living up to his "The Big Show" nickname.
Daniel Vettori
7 of 11
15 wickets in nine matches @ 20.46
Having come out of retirement, Daniel Vettori proved that there is still room for old men in the limited-overs format. He was very useful with the ball and held his own with the bat in pressure situations. Vettori only just pips South Africa's Imran Tahir for a place in the side. Vettori's incredible fielding efforts during the World Cup aided his inclusion.
Mitchell Starc
8 of 11
22 wickets in eight matches @ 10.18
Mitchell Starc was, without a doubt, the best bowler of the tournament. His consistent performances and his ability to break through even on flat decks sets him apart from everyone else. Starc has genuine pace, too, and has improved tremendously since the Test series against India a few months ago.
Trent Boult
9 of 11
22 wickets in nine matches @ 16.86
Like Starc, Trent Boult was superb. His skill in swinging the ball and being aggressive up front was something to behold. He was integral in leading New Zealand to a final spot, and the fact that he is only just starting his career as a one-day bowler paints a bright picture of New Zealand cricket’s future.
Morne Morkel
10 of 11
17 wickets in eight matches @ 17.58
It was Morne Morkel and not Dale Steyn who delivered the best bowling performances for South Africa during the World Cup. Morkel was aggressive, probing and bowled with real gas.
Although he sometimes struggled up front, Morkel always found a way to rattle the batsmen with his short ball. When South Africa’s lanky pace man is bowling with such aggression, he can be a real menace. It leaves one wondering what would have happened if Steyn was at the top of his game, too.
Whahab Riaz
11 of 11
16 wickets in seven agames @ 23.00
Wahab Riaz's inclusion into this XI might cause a bit of a stir. There were a few bowlers who took more wickets than him, but Riaz earns his spot largely based on the incredible bowling performance he put in against Australia. It was one of the best spells of bowling in limited-overs cricket we've seen in recent months, and having that kind of mettle in a pressure situation deserves a nod.
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