All-time best World Cup XI

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is just four weeks away, and the cricketing fraternity is buzzing with excitement. The preliminary squads and the stand bys have been finalized, and the teams’ jerseys for the event has been unveiled. The fans are even waiting for the warm-up matches in order to see their superstars in action. Most of the players are getting into their groove by playing IPL and bilateral series. The tournament is surely going to be a cricket symphony with its high octane clashes. Like the fans, the players are also exuberant before a big event like the World Cup. It is the biggest stage and over the years many individuals have become overnight sensations after putting up a good show. The competition has seen some of the greats of the game, but very few players have inscribed their names in the history books. Here are the players who can be considered as the best players of the tournament 1) Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) The God of Cricket always had a special liking to ICC events and has delivered some mind-blowing performances. Sachin Tendulkar has represented the Men in Blue in 6 World Cups. The right-hander has scored 2278 runs in 45 matches at a stunning average of 57. Sachin has also stroked 6 centuries and 15 half-centuries. He is the only batsmen to have hit over 200 boundaries in the event. Sachin played his first World Cup in 1992 and had a wonderful outing with 283 runs in 8 matches. The right-hander’s most successful campaign was the 2003 series where he piled up 673 runs in 11 ties. The most memorable innings of the Little Master has to be his unbeaten 90 against Australia at his home ground in the edition of 1996. In his last chapter, he accumulated 482 runs in 9 matches and became a World Cup winner in 2011. 2) Adam Gilchrist Adam Gilchrist of Australia. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto/Getty Images) Adam Gilchrist is regarded as the greatest keeper-batsman of all time and has always entertained the audience with his ingenious hitting. The southpaw has played three World Cups for Kangaroos and has scored 1085 runs in 31 matches at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 98. Gilchrist has hit one century and 8 half-centuries. The keeper-batsman has a unique record of winning all World Cups he has played. Gilly played his first World Cup in 1999 and didn’t have a successful campaign, as he just made 224 runs in 10 ties. The keeper-batsman had the most fruitful series in 2007 where he scored 453 runs in 11 games. Adam’s most special innings have to be his ton against Sri Lanka in the final of 2007 edition. Along with his batting skills, Gilchrist was part of 52 dismissals, and one cannot forget his run-out of Allan Donald in the 1999 edition when the scores were tied. 3) Ricky Ponting Ricky Ponting of Australia. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images) The former Australian skipper is a batsman of the higher order, and his captaincy skills are well-known among his counterparts. The right-hander has been part of 5 World Cups in which he has accumulated 1743 runs in 46 games at an average of 46. Ricky Ponting has stroked 5 tons and 6 half-centuries. He is one of the few players who has won the championship 3 times in his career. Punter played his first World Cup in 1996 and had a mediocre tourney with 229 runs in 7 matches. The Tasmanian cricketer had a groundbreaking season in 2007 where he piled up 539 runs in 11 ties. Ponting’s unbeaten 140 against India in the final of 2003 edition is an innings full of eye-catching shots. He used to be a good tactician on the field, and that’s why he led the Kangaroos to the title in 2003 and 2007 making him one of the most successful captains in the history of the game. 4) Sir Vivian Richards Viv Richards. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto/Getty Images) The player from Antigua is considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time, as some of his knocks have provided goosebumps to the cricketing fans. The swashbuckling cricketer has plied his trade in 4 World Cups in which he has scored 1013 runs in 23 games at an average of 63. He has caressed 3 tons and 5 fifties. The Windies player was one of the rare batsmen in the era of ’80s who hit the ball across the line. Sir Vivian Richards made his ODI debut in the 1975 World Cup, and he scored a mere 38 runs in 5 ties. The player from island nation had the most productive series in 1987 edition where he amassed 391 runs in 6 games at a strike rate of over 100. His most memorable knock has to be the unbeaten 138 against England in the final of 1979 edition. The Windies player showed his fielding skills in the 1975 edition final where he ran out 3 top order batsmen which led the team to the championship. 5) Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) The batsman from Matale is a class apart from other cricketers, and one of the legendary players to emerge from the country of Sri Lanka. Kumar Sangakkara has played 4 World Cups and has scored 1532 runs in 37 matches at an average of 57. He has made 5 sparkling centuries and 6 fifties. The left-hander has always guided his team with his contributions, and he has played 5 ICC World Cup finals in his career. Sangakkara had an average outing in his first World Cup, 2003 where he scored just 176 runs in 10 games. The southpaw had a monumental campaign in 2015 edition where he stacked up 541 runs in 7 ties at an average of 108. The fans witnessed a glorious inning in 2011 edition when he made a patient 111 against New Zealand on a tough surface of Wankhede. Kumar is the only batsmen to score 4 consecutive tons in the World Cup which is a special achievement. 6) Kapil Dev Kapil Dev. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Patrick Eagar Collection via Getty Images) Kapil Dev is one of the greatest all-rounders the world has seen, and his offerings to the Indian cricket is invaluable. The cricketer from Punjab has been part of 4 World Cups in which he has scored 669 runs and has taken 28 wickets in 26 matches. The all-rounder has hit a century and has also taken a 5-wicket haul. Kapil is a World Cup-winning captain, and he inspired a generation of cricketers with his heroics. The icon of Indian cricket played his first World Cup in 1979 where he was ordinary with his bat and ball as he just made 53 runs and took a couple of wickets in 3 games. The all-rounder had an outstanding series in 1983 where he amassed 303 runs and scalped 12 wickets in 8 ties. Kapil Dev’s innings of 175 against Zimbabwe in 1983 edition is considered to be one of the best ODI innings from an Indian batsman. His catch of Viv Richards in the final of 1983 was the turning point of the game which led the Indian team to lift their maiden coveted World Cup. 7) Lance Kluesner Lance Klusener. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) The all-rounder from Durban is an underrated cricketer who has delivered the goods for the South African team on a regular basis. Lance Kluesner has played 2 World Cups in which he has scored 372 runs and picked up 22 wickets in 14 ties. He has stroked 3 half-centuries down the order with a strike rate of over 100. Kluesner is mostly renowned for his last ball mix-up with Allan Donald in the semi-finals of 1999. Kluesner played his first World Cup in 1999, and he was remarkable with his hard-hitting abilities and wicket-taking skills. Zulu made 281 runs down the order and fished out 17 crucial wickets which took the team to the semi-finals. The all-rounder’s most memorable knock has to be the unbeaten 48 against England in 1999 edition where he dragged the side to victory with his power game. Lance was a vital cog of the side, as he won 4 Man of the Match awards in the 1999 edition. 8) Imran Khan Imran Khan. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Patrick Eagar Collection via Getty Images) The current Pakistan Prime Minister is one of the greatest players to have played the gentleman’s game. He has been a part of Pakistan’s team in 5 World Cups in which he scored 666 runs and scalped 34 wickets in 28 games. He has stroked a century and has two 4-refers to his name. Imran Khan inspired a lot of players with his audacity as he was the first genuine fast bowler from Pakistan. The legend of Pakistan cricket played his maiden World Cup in 1975 where he played only a couple of games, and in the following edition also he was not able to weave his magic. The all-rounder showed his class in the 1987 edition where he scored 147 runs and picked up 17 wickets in 7 games. Imran Khan’s notable innings have to be his unbeaten century against Sri Lanka in the 1983 edition. He has a great cricketing brain and won the championship in 1992 as the captain of the team. 9) Wasim Akram Wasim Akram. (Photo by Bob Thomas/Getty Images) The left arm pacer from Lahore is a proven match-winner, as he can change the course of a game with his fierce fast bowling. Wasim Akram has represented the Pakistan team in 5 World Cups in which he has scalped 55 wickets in 38 games. He has got a 5-wicket haul and two 4-fers in his tourney. Akram used to be a lethal weapon for his side with the new and old ball, and his deadly yorkers are part of cricket folklore. Wasim Akram played his first World Cup in 1987, and the pacer managed only 7 wickets in 7 games. He ran riot in the 1992 edition where he scalped 18 wickets in 10 matches at an economy rate of 3.77. The speedster’s most noteworthy performance has to be his 3-wicket haul in the final of 1992 edition, as it turned the tide towards the Pakistan team. The speedster was known as the Sultan of Swing, as he used to terrorize the opposition batsmen with his craft. 10) Muttiah Muralitharan Arjuna Ranatunga and Muttiah Muralitharan. (Photo by ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Muttiah Muralitharan is one of the greatest bowlers to have played the game, as he churned out match-winning performances with sheer consistency. The tweaker has played 5 World Cups in which he has dished out 68 wickets in 40 ties at an economy rate of 3.88. The off-spinner has taken four 4-fers in his career. Muralitharan was a nightmare for the batsmen even on good tracks and on helpful surfaces, he can run through sides. The cricketer from Kandy played his first World Cup in 1996 where he picked up 7 wickets in 7 matches. He single-handedly dragged the island nation to the finals of 2007 edition, as he bagged 23 wickets in 10 games at an economy rate of 4.15. His best spell has to be the 4-wicket haul in the 2011 edition against New Zealand where he outfoxed quality top order batsmen. Murali was a game changer for the Lankans, and he also won the World Cup as a rookie in the 1996 edition. 11) Glenn McGrath Glenn McGrath. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images) The cricketer from Dubbo was the embodiment of perfection as he used to trouble the batsmen with his nagging line and length bowling. Glenn McGrath rendered his services to the Australian team in 4 World Cups in which he picked up 71 wickets in 39 games at an economy rate of 3.96. The lanky pacer bagged two 5-wicket hauls in the event. He is one of the few players who has lifted the World Cup 3 times. McGrath plied his trade for the first time in the 1996 edition where he picked up 6 wickets in 7 ties. The speedster was at his height of power in the 2007 edition where he produced some staggering numbers with 26 scalps in 11 games at an economy rate of 4.4. The pigeon was at his lethal best in the 1999 edition when he picked up a fifer against the West Indies. McGrath was the pillar of Kangaroos bowling line-up, and his presence in the team made them invincibles. These World Cup heroes can never be forgotten as they have stamped their authority with their significant contributions. Join CricTracker on Telegram. Match Predictions, Fantasy Guides and other handpicked stories every day. Subscribe to our Telegram channel.

All-time best World Cup XI

The showpiece event from 1975 has seen greats lifting the coveted cup and performing their heart out for the country.

4) Sir Vivian Richards