#CWC15 – Team of the tournament (Group Stages)

Here’s our team of the tournament so far, a starting XI and four additional squad members. Surprisingly enough, there’s no Englishmen. Oh, and if you don’t like “data”, then maybe don’t read any further…

1. Shikhar Dhawan – India

One of the more controversial selections in the XI, although other openers have scored more runs than the Indian, 337 runs at 56.16 including two match-winning hundreds is pretty conclusive data. Dhoni and the selectors deserve credit for sticking with him during a sticky patch of form.

2. Brendon McCullum (c) – New Zealand

The Kiwi captain skippers our side thanks to his proactive tactics and fielding positions, and opens the batting because of his imperious strike-rate (187.59). His personal highlight of the group stages was smashing England’s bowlers all over the Cake Tin in his 25-ball knock of 77.

 3. Kumar Sangakkara (wk)– Sri Lanka

Sanga might be 37-years-old and on the verge of retiring from ODI cricket, but that hasn’t stopped the Sri Lankan from scoring four consecutive hundreds (a world cup record) as well as 496 runs at 124.00. He’s still keeping too!

4. Mohammad Mahmudullah – Bangladesh 

Successive centuries in Bangladesh’s last two games against England and New Zealand, 344 runs at 86.00, his runs were critical in ensuring the Tigers progressed to the quarter-finals.

GENIUS – South Africa captain AB de Villiers has been in sparkling form so far in the World Cup.

5. AB de Villiers – South Africa 

The South-African captain is a run-getting genius – 417 runs at 83.40, with his highest score (162*) the fastest 150 ever (64 balls) in one-day international cricket. He even burgled 4 wickets with his dodgy medium-pace.

6. Glenn Maxwell – Australia

It took “The Big Show” just 51 balls to make his maiden one-day international hundred against Sri Lanka, with the 26-year-old Aussie epitomising the role played by the modern-day 360-degree run-scoring batsman. Maxwell boasts the best tournament strike rate at 190.37 and an average of 64.25.

7. Sean Williams – Zimbabwe

A surprise selection in the XI perhaps, but the Zimbabwean leftie has scored 339 runs at 67.80 and also taken 7 wickets with his gentle spinners. Innovative with the bat, canny with ball in hand, the relatively unknown all-rounder heads home having had a truly impressive tournament.

8. Daniel Vettori – New Zealand

The experienced Kiwi provides a genuine spin option in the team, getting the nod ahead of Imran Tahir and Ravichandran Ashwin courtesy of his 13 wickets at 13.69, with an economy rate of just 3.21 runs per over.

9. Mohammed Shami – India

India’s fast-bowlers have played a crucial role in making sure the team go into the quarter-finals unbeaten and Shami has been the pick of the bunch, with 15 wickets at 12.60.

10. Mitchell Starc – Australia

The Aussie left-arm has easily outshone the other bloke with the same first name that bowls left-arm rapid for that lot (Johnson), taking 16 wickets at an average of just 8.50; mostly with fast, in-swinging yorkers. Best figures of 6/28 against New Zealand.

11. Trent Boult – New Zealand

Another left-arm quick that pitches it up and swings it back into the right-hander, the Kiwi has taken 15 wickets at 15.60, with a best of 5-27 against the Australians. Although Tim Southee destroyed England, Boult has been consistently menacing.

 Replacements

12. Josh Davey (Scotland) > Jerome Taylor (West Indies)

The Scot takes the back-up seamer role by virtue of having one more wicket than his West Indian counterpart (15). Yes Taylor swings it big at pace, while Davey only bowls medium-fast, but it’s nice to have a Scottish lad in the squad.

13. Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe) > MS Dhoni (India)

In the battle to deputise behind the stumps, the Zimbabwean wins the wicket-keeper dual having amassed 433 runs at 72.16. Although Dhoni has a higher average (83.00), Taylor surprisingly has a marginally better strike rate.

14. Corey Anderson (New Zealand) > Wahab Riaz (Pakistan)

Both these lefties have impressed, but the Kiwi makes the squad by virtue of being a genuine all-rounder. Riaz took 14 wickets for Pakistan but slightly expensively, while Anderson made 158 runs at 39.60 and took 10 wickets.

15. Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) > Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)

The Bangladesh captain is a phenomenal all-rounder (186 runs at 46.50; 7 wickets), but the Sri Lankan is simply a class act. Dilshan opens the batting and also bowls at critical period, excelling at both (395 runs at 79.00; 5 wickets).