• 2 Brendon McCullum, New Zealand, captain: The defining figure of the tournament so far. Sir Richard Hadlee reckons New Zealand have never had a captain like him before, while Shane Warne said “jeez, he is a tough rooster” for the way he made light of a brutal blow to his forearm from a Mitchell Johnson thunderbolt. (Photo: Phil Walter / Getty Images)
    2 Brendon McCullum, New Zealand, captain: The defining figure of the tournament so far. Sir Richard Hadlee reckons New Zealand have never had a captain like him before, while Shane Warne said “jeez, he is a tough rooster” for the way he made light of a brutal blow to his forearm from a Mitchell Johnson thunderbolt. (Photo: Phil Walter / Getty Images)
  • 3 Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka, wicketkeeper: As if he had not managed it in the preceding 15 years of his gilded career, Sri Lanka’s finest is making sure everyone has something to remember him by at this World Cup. Four successive centuries put him head and shoulders above the rest with the bat. (Photo: Indranil Mukherjee / AFP)
    3 Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka, wicketkeeper: As if he had not managed it in the preceding 15 years of his gilded career, Sri Lanka’s finest is making sure everyone has something to remember him by at this World Cup. Four successive centuries put him head and shoulders above the rest with the bat. (Photo: Indranil Mukherjee / AFP)
  • 4 AB de Villiers, South Africa: The South Africa captain’s case for inclusion in this team was unarguable. The world’s No 1 ODI batsman has scored 417 runs at an average of 83.40 and a strike-rate of 144. (Photo: Marty Melville / AFP)
    4 AB de Villiers, South Africa: The South Africa captain’s case for inclusion in this team was unarguable. The world’s No 1 ODI batsman has scored 417 runs at an average of 83.40 and a strike-rate of 144. (Photo: Marty Melville / AFP)
  • 5 Mahmudullah, Bangladesh: Mahmudullah had not managed a century in ODIs – no Bangladeshis had in World Cups – until his decisive one that ended England’s hopes in the tournament. He followed it up straight away with one against the previously irresistible New Zealand. (Photo: Fiona Goodall / AFP)
    5 Mahmudullah, Bangladesh: Mahmudullah had not managed a century in ODIs – no Bangladeshis had in World Cups – until his decisive one that ended England’s hopes in the tournament. He followed it up straight away with one against the previously irresistible New Zealand. (Photo: Fiona Goodall / AFP)
  • 6 Shaiman Anwar, UAE: The feel-good story of the tournament was when Shaiman, a sales rep who left his native Pakistan for the promise of job security in Dubai, topped the runs charts. Also the ton he hit against Ireland was the first by a UAE player in World Cups. (Photo: Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images)
    6 Shaiman Anwar, UAE: The feel-good story of the tournament was when Shaiman, a sales rep who left his native Pakistan for the promise of job security in Dubai, topped the runs charts. Also the ton he hit against Ireland was the first by a UAE player in World Cups. (Photo: Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images)
  • 7 Sean Williams, Zimbabwe: Four fifties, an average of 67.80 and a strike-rate of 109, seven wickets, and one of the leading fielders in the competition, to boot. Most people knew Brendan Taylor’s credentials when Zimbabwe flew into the tournament under the radar. Now we know about Williams, too. (Photo: William West / AFP)
    7 Sean Williams, Zimbabwe: Four fifties, an average of 67.80 and a strike-rate of 109, seven wickets, and one of the leading fielders in the competition, to boot. Most people knew Brendan Taylor’s credentials when Zimbabwe flew into the tournament under the radar. Now we know about Williams, too. (Photo: William West / AFP)
  • 8 Daniel Vettori, New Zealand: After an injury-ravaged recent past, Vettori is enjoying the type of Indian summer his career deserves. He had the unexpected fillip of a one-off Test return in Sharjah at the end of last year, now he is giving lessons in flight and guile at a home World Cup. He is magnificent. (Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung / Getty Images)
    8 Daniel Vettori, New Zealand: After an injury-ravaged recent past, Vettori is enjoying the type of Indian summer his career deserves. He had the unexpected fillip of a one-off Test return in Sharjah at the end of last year, now he is giving lessons in flight and guile at a home World Cup. He is magnificent. (Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung / Getty Images)
  • 9 Mitchell Starc, Australia: Who cares about angry body-language when you can bowl like this? Starc might have his detractors when he plays Tests, but he has few peers in white ball cricket. Wickets in all the big pool matches, including six in an extraordinary effort against New Zealand in Auckland. (Photo: Ross Setford / AP)
    9 Mitchell Starc, Australia: Who cares about angry body-language when you can bowl like this? Starc might have his detractors when he plays Tests, but he has few peers in white ball cricket. Wickets in all the big pool matches, including six in an extraordinary effort against New Zealand in Auckland. (Photo: Ross Setford / AP)
  • 10 Mohammed Shami, India: His wickets underpinned India’s wins in all their vital fixtures. He took four against Pakistan, two against South Africa and three against West Indies. He earned a break against the UAE, yet still ended the pool stage as India’s most successful seam bowler. (Photo: Michael Bradley / AFP)
    10 Mohammed Shami, India: His wickets underpinned India’s wins in all their vital fixtures. He took four against Pakistan, two against South Africa and three against West Indies. He earned a break against the UAE, yet still ended the pool stage as India’s most successful seam bowler. (Photo: Michael Bradley / AFP)
  • 11 Trent Boult, New Zealand: Nobody else (bar perhaps Ravichandran Ashwin with his arm ball) has swung the ball as consistently and prodigiously as the Black Caps left-armer. Boult was man of the match in the game of the tournament to date, the low-scoring classic against Australia at Eden Park. (Photo: Fiona Goodall / AFP)
    11 Trent Boult, New Zealand: Nobody else (bar perhaps Ravichandran Ashwin with his arm ball) has swung the ball as consistently and prodigiously as the Black Caps left-armer. Boult was man of the match in the game of the tournament to date, the low-scoring classic against Australia at Eden Park. (Photo: Fiona Goodall / AFP)

Sport

Shikhar Dhawan and Kumar Sangakkara lead Cricket World Cup group round Best XI

Paul Radley
Paul Radley
Dubai

March 15, 2015

  • English
  • Arabic

With 2015 Cricket World Cup group play ending on Sunday, Paul Radley names his Best XI of the tournament through the six group matches.

1 Shikhar Dhawan (India)

2 Brendon McCullum (New Zealand, captain)

3 Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, wicketkeeper)

4 AB de Villiers (South Africa)

5 Mahmudullah (Bangladesh)

6 Shaiman Anwar (UAE)

7 Sean Williams (Zimbabwe)

8 Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)

9 Mitchell Starc (Australia)

10 Mohammed Shami (India)

11 Trent Boult (New Zealand)

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