ICC World Cup 2019: Best combined 15-man squad of the tournament

The World Cup is just around the corner and there’s a definite buzz around the cricketing fraternity. The build-up has been massive to the showpiece event scheduled to take place from the 30th of May. The World Cup is going back to England for the first time since 1999.

Australia might be the defending champions but England have been the best team since the last edition. They have the best win-loss ratio (2.304) since April 2015. India comes a close second with 2.074 but no other team has been consistent enough. South Africa have done well in the lead-up to the tournament while New Zealand have always been the dark horses.

Australia who looked down and out a couple of months back are peaking at the right time. Meanwhile, Pakistan have been very unpredictable and Bangladesh’s rise in 50-over cricket has continued. Afghanistan will be playing their second World Cup while West Indies sneaked in through the qualifiers and Sri Lanka have been poor in the last four years.

England and India might go in as favourites but you can’t count the others out. This could be a very tight World Cup and may prove to be one of the closest ones as well. Eight countries have already announced their squads with only Afghanistan and Windies left to name their teams. All teams have been given a deadline of April 23rd to name a preliminary squad, to which changes can be made for the next one month.

Here we pick the best 15-man squad from all the teams announced so far:

Rohit Sharma (India)

India’s limited-overs vice-captain has been one of the best opening batsmen in white-ball cricket over the last few years. Ever since he turned into an opener, he has dominated the run charts. Rohit Sharma has scored three ODI double hundreds so far in his career. He has the ability to bat big and once he’s set, it’s very hard to stop him. He will be looking to make his second World Cup as an opener a big event with his batting.

Jonny Bairstow (England)

Jonny Bairstow has been simply brilliant at the top of the order for England. He has given his team some really quick starts which has set the tone more often than not. Since the end of the Champions Trophy in 2017, the England opener has tallied 1428 runs at an average of 51.00 and a strike-rate of 115.06. He is a destructive opener and can set the stage on fire very early in the innings.

Virat Kohli (c) (India)

If there is one player you need to pick in ODI format in modern-day cricket then it has to be Virat Kohli. There is no better batsman in world cricket at No. 3 at the moment. He has topped all kinds of batting run charts in the last few years. The Indian skipper has broken multiple records and is now only eight centuries short of equalling the great Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI record of 49 centuries.

Kohli has mastered the art of batting in ODI cricket and in run chases, he is simply outstanding. He is called the ‘Chase Master’ for his ability to hunt down targets game after game.

Ross Taylor (New Zealand)

The former New Zealand skipper has become supremely consistent in 50-over cricket and is the pillar of the Kiwi batting line-up. No other batsman has even come close to Ross Taylor at No. 4 in ODI cricket in the last few years. In the last couple of years, he has averaged 81.05 and has won New Zealand multiple ODI games. Hence, you won’t find a better No. 4 than Taylor in this World Cup.

Jos Buttler (England)

Jos Buttler may not have big numbers to show but he has been brilliant in the last few years. In fact, he’s been one of the big elements in England’s turnaround since the disastrous World Cup in 2015. He may not score big runs every game, but he has a massive impact. Buttler’s ability to finish innings and games has been lauded and he’s found consistency in getting the job done as well. Hence, he is one of the best finishers going around at the moment in world cricket.

Ben Stokes (England)

Ben Stokes is a multi-dimensional cricketer and he has an impact in every department. His presence on the field is a massive boost and can walk into any side of the world at the moment. He can bowl anywhere and anytime during the innings. The left-handed batsman can tonk the ball at any stage while he can also manoeuvre the ball to rotate the strike to build the innings.

Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)

Shakib Al Hasan is one of the underrated cricketers going around in the world at the moment. Yes, he is Bangladesh’s star player but he doesn’t get the attraction and limelight as much as some of the other players. The left-handed all-rounder has been the most consistent players with both bat and bowl in ODI cricket over the last few years. He bowls miserly and can be very effective with the bat in the middle-order.

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)

Ever since making his debut in October 2015, Rashid Khan has taken world cricket by storm. The Afghanistan leg-spinner has dominated white-ball cricket for more than three years now and is one of the most sought-after cricketers in T20 leagues around the globe. He’s played just 57 ODIs but has already picked up 123 wickets. He is the fastest to 100 ODI wickets (in terms of innings). Batsmen have often found it hard to read Rashid and his variations.

Kuldeep Yadav (India)

Here is another spinner who has dominated white-ball cricket in the last couple of years. Kuldeep Yadav has been simply outstanding ever since he stepped foot in international cricket and white-ball cricket in particular. He has picked up 87 wickets from 44 games which is the most since the Champions Trophy in 2017. He has bowled well and picked wickets in all conditions and will be a massive threat to the other teams in the World Cup.

Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

Kagiso Rabada may not have played a lot of ODI cricket over the last couple of years but he has been one of the best all-format pacers in the last few years. He has certainly become South Africa’s pace spearhead in all formats of the game. The 23-year-old fast bowler has played 66 ODI matches and has picked up 106 wickets. He has shown what he can do when he is on song and he’s currently in some terrific form.

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

Jasprit Bumrah is one bowler who has taken giant strides in international cricket ever since he made his debut in January 2016. He was initially tipped as a white-ball specialist but has evolved and emerged beautifully in all formats. He has taken 85 wickets in the last three years in ODI cricket. Moreover, Bumrah is currently one of the best death bowlers going around in world cricket. However, he can bowl in any situation and be lethal.

David Warner (Australia)

The left-handed Aussie opener might have been out for 12 months but he has shown that he hasn’t missed a beat. He has returned to his lethal best in the IPL and is currently leading the run charts. Australia will welcome his return to ODI cricket as well. David Warner has been a prolific run-scorer for them across all formats. In 2016 and 2017 combined, he amassed in excess of 2000 ODI runs and scored 10 centuries. He played just five ODIs in 2018 as he was banned for 12 months in March.

Trent Boult (New Zealand)

Trent Boult has carried the bulk of the responsibility of the New Zealand pace attack in the last few years. Not only in ODI cricket, but he has been their go-to man in all formats. However, in ODI cricket, he has produced some outstanding numbers. He was New Zealand’s best bowler during the last World Cup and in the leadup to this World Cup, he’s been brilliant again.

Faf du Plessis (South Africa)

The South African skipper has been leading his team’s batting charts in ODI cricket for almost a year now. Post the retirement of AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis has taken some extra responsibility and has become very consistent in the 50-over format. He averages 68.00 since the end of the Champions Trophy in 2017.

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Babar Azam is another player who has done really well in white-ball cricket. He is the rock of the Pakistan batting line-up and controls the innings really well. He has been very consistent over the last few years and slots in as the 15th member of this squad. Babar averages over 50 in both ODI and T20I cricket. Pakistan will be banking on him in this upcoming World Cup.

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