The World Cup is about to come to its conclusion, and there would be a new World Champion on Sunday. Individual players gave their best to help the team to win the cup. So if one has to make a World Cup XI of 2019, who all can be part of that?
Picking an XI is always a personal choice, and there are still few players who missed the list, and few make to the list. Here is OpIndia’s World Cup XI:
- David Warner
The Australian opener scored 647 runs in the World Cup, the second-most by any in this World Cup. He also scored the most hundreds (3) after Rohit Sharma. He can hit boundaries from the first ball of the innings.
2. Rohit Sharma
He is the top performer of the World Cup, most runs and hundreds in the tournament. The perfect partner for Warner too, a left-hand, right-hand combination and someone who takes time to get set. Once Rohit is set, we all know what he can do with his magic willow.
3. Joe Root
England’s Mr dependable at number 3, first English batsman to score 500 more runs in a World Cup edition. In the case of the early fall of a wicket, he can steady the innings. Can bowl some off spins too.
4. Kane Williamson
The most consistent number 4 for New Zealand, led his team to the World Cup final. Captain of this team, bats as per the situation. Not only with batting, but he also has to look after the strategies for the team.
5. Shakib Al Hasan
The best all-rounder of World Cup 2019 and the most definite contender to win the player of the tournament. He batted at number 3 for Bangladesh, but for the team’s combination, he will play at number 5. His slow left-arm spin is a bonus for the team.
6. Ben Stokes
With 381 runs and seven wickets, the second-best all-rounder of the tournament, perfect for number 6. One of the best fielder too, the ‘3-dimensional players’ in a real sense.
7. Alex Carey
Three hundred seventy-five runs as the wicket-keeper in the competition, the most by any. Not only he impressed with his batting but also with his keeping, 20 dismissals in World Cup 2019. Topping the list in both the charts, he is an automatic selection for the XI.
8. Mitchell Starc
The highest wicket-taker in any edition of the World Cup. Starc has shown incredible consistency; he was the highest wicket-taker in the previous World Cup too. His yorkers are his biggest strength, and he is the perfect partner for Bumrah.
9. Jofra Archer
England’s most significant find of the tournament, they picked him over David Willey, and he proved the selectors his worth. Nineteen wickets in the World Cup before the finals, most by any English bowler in any World Cup edition. He is super quick with the ball and has bowled the maximum number of dot balls in the tournament (338).
10. Jasprit Bumrah
The number one ODI bowler can swing the ball both ways, keeping the batsman guessing. The most economical bowler of World Cup 2019. Imagine the situation for the batsmen when they have to face Starc and Bumrah in tandem. A treat to watch for the fans, maybe someday in IPL.
11. Imran Tahir
The oldest player of the competition, the genuine leg spinner in the team, took 11 wickets in the tournament. He also bowled the first over of the World Cup. And oh ah, yeah, his wild celebrations after taking a wicket, the best among the rest.
What will be your World Cup XI?
