With 2015 Cricket World Cup around the corner, we did some surveys on the social media about what will be the ‘Dream Team’ in World Cup 2015. We got many answers and on the basis of those answers along with the input of The Cricket Lounge staff, we finally have the Dream XI of 2015 World Cup.
WORLD CUP 2015 DREAM XI’S TOP ORDER
– David Warner (Australia)
– Hashim Amla (South Africa)
– Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
DAVID WARNER
David Warner is one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket at the moment. He has the ability to finish the matches single-handedly and he will be a real force to reckon with in his own backyard. Just like some of the greatest openers in the history of cricket, Warner has the ability to play big innings and he is equally good against the spin bowling. Although, Warner hasn’t achieved anything great in his ODI career so far, he has improved a lot in the last 2 years and his ability to give aggressive starts at the top of the innings is a biggest asset for any team.
HASHIM AMLA
Calm, composed and always focused. Hashim Amla, who was first labbled as a Test specialist, is one of the most successful ODI batsmen in world cricket at the moment. Amla has scored 4946 runs in 103 ODI, with 17 hundreds and 25 fifties. His appetite for runs is as big as it can be and he averages over 53 in ODI cricket. Amla is a marathon-man and he has the ability to switch is game according to the condition.
KUMAR SANGAKKARA
One of the most elegant batsmen to have ever played the game, Kumar Sangakkara is an absolute rock at No. 3. He has almost every shot in the book and his ability to counter-attack is second to none. Sangakkara has scored almost 13,000 runs in ODI cricket at an average of 39.99. Sangakkara has 19 hundreds and 87 fifties to his credit in One Day International cricket.
WORLD CUP 2015 DREAM XI’S MIDDLE-ORDER
– Virat Kohli (India)
– AB de Villiers (South Africa)
– MS Dhoni (India)
– Angelo Matthews (Sri Lanka)
VIRAT KOHLI
Virat Kohli is arguably the best ODI batsman in the world at the moment. Kohli, 26, has scored 6208 runs in 146 ODI matches at a healthy average of 52.61. Kohli’s biggest strength is his ability to understand the situation of the game and adjust his game accordingly. He is a big match player and he likes to bat under pressure. Virat Kohli is fifth in the list of most hundreds in ODI cricket.
ABRAHAM BENJAMIN de VILLIERS (Vice Captain)
AB de Villiers in arguably the best batsman in the world across all three formats. de Villiers can bat at any position, but he is most dangerous batting at No. 5. de Villiers’ ability to improvise and demolish the bowling attacks is second to none. He has scored runs everywhere in the world and even after playing 175 ODIs and scoring over 7200 runs, de Villiers has never shown any weakness, as far as his batting concerned. de Villiers’ strike rate in ODI cricket is over 95 and he averages 51.50.
MS DHONI (Captain and Wicketkeeper)
He is known as the ice-man. He is arguably the best finisher in ODI cricket and he has achieved everything a captain of a cricket team can wish for. Dhoni is also a brilliant wicketkeeper and there’s no better option than him to do these three jobs; captain, wicketkeeper and finisher.
ANGELO MATTHEWS
Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo Matthews was one of the best performers of the calender year 2014. His batting has improved 10 folds and he will be very effective with the new nut in Australia and New Zealand. Matthews has a very solid temperament and his ability to smash big hits under pressure makes him a valuable asset in limited-overs cricket.
WORLD CUP 2015 DREAM XI’S BOWLING UNIT
– Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
– Dale Styen (South Africa)
– Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
– Sunil Narine (West Indies)
MITCHELL JOHNSON
Mitchell Johnson is in the form of his life. Mitchell Johnson is the fastest bowler in the world at the moment and the kind of form he is in, no batsman in the world would want to face him, specially in his home conditions, where he gets lots of assistance from the pitch.
DALE STEYN
Watching Dale Steyn and Mitchell Johnson bowl in tandem, is a sight that every cricket lover would want to witness. Dale Steyn is one of the best fast bowlers in the history of the game, and surely the best in the last 5 years or so.
LASITH MALINGA
Lasith Malinga is arguably the best fast bowler in ODI cricket. He is not as conventional as Dale Steyn or as fearsome as Mitchell Johnson, but his unorthodox action and variations have tricked many batsmen in the world. From his toe-crushers to chin-music, Lasith Malinga is a massive asset for any team in limited overs cricket.
SUNIL NARINE
Sunil Narine, who is also known as the ‘Mystery Man’, has tricked almost batsmen he has played against. Even after 52 ODIs, no batsman in the world has been able to pick his variations. Narine is a very versatile spinner and he can bowl at any stage of the innings. He has great control and he is mostly very economical in limited overs cricket. Narine has picked 73 wickets in 52 ODIs at an average of 26.49.
WORLD CUP 2015 DREAM XI’S 12TH MAN
– Mohammad Irfan (Pakistan)
MOHAMMAD IRFAN
Mohammad Irfan, 7 feet 1 inch, is the tallest cricketer to have ever played the game. On the pitches that have a lot of bounce and pace, Irfan will be a very difficult bowler to face for any batsmen. Irfan is also very fast and bowls around 140 mark consistently. Irfan has played 33 ODIs for Pakistan and he has taken 45 wickets at an average of 29.91.
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By The Cricket Lounge
