With just two days to go for the start of the ICC World Cup 2019, there is an air of anticipation among fans as their favourite heroes get ready to lead their respective team's charge at the upcoming cricketing carnival. And with each team having sparkling talents, an intense competition could be in the offing at the various venues across the United Kingdom. Now, Onmanorama presents the World Cup Dream XI before the tournament kicks off on Thursday.
Jonny Bairstow (England)
A hard-hitting batsman, who can take the attack to the opposition right from the word go, Jonny Bairstow has been a revelation for England over the past few years. The wicketkeeper-batsman has the ability to play big shots, knows to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking. His power-hitting was in full display during the recent Indian Premier League (IPL), where he scored 442 runs in 10 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
Ever since South Africa's heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup semis, Quinton de Kock has raised his game and has got better. The wicketkeeper-batsman has formed an excellent opening partnership with Hashim Amla and the combo has contributed quite a lot to the Rainbow Nation's success. He was also in tremendous form for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2019 where he scored over 500 runs for the eventual champions.
Virat Kohli (India)
Virat Kohli is the one of the most influential batsmen of the present generation. Currently the No. 1 batsman, the 30-year-old has the most number of ODI centuries (41) for an active player and is racing to surpass the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 tons despite having played 233 innings less. Possessing an incredible ability to score runs all around the globe, the Indian skipper would be one of the biggest threats to any bowling units.
Kane Williamson (New Zealand) (C)
Rated as one of the most compact batsmen in recent years, Kane Williamson is expected to anchor the New Zealand innings. The 26-year-old was among Kiwis' best batsmen in the 2015 World Cup and was instrumental in carrying them to their maiden final. Though he hasn’t scored an ODI hundred in the last 14 months, Williamson has a good chance of topping the charts given the placid pitches in England. Williamson, who showed tactical acumen to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad to the Eliminator round in the recent IPL, is the able player to helm the captaincy of this Dream XI.
Jos Buttler (England) (WK)
One of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball going around, Jos Buttler has been an inevitable component of England's redemption post their 2015 World Cup debacle. Equipped with a fantastic ability to turn on the heat right from his first ball, Buttler is perfectly capable of winning games single-handedly. A 360-degree batsman who can give nightmares to any fielding captain, Buttler is also a bankable asset with gloves behind the stumps.
Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
Better known for his hard-hitting abilities, Maxwell has set his sights on becoming an asset for Australia with his part-time off-spin in the upcoming World Cup. Maxwell is also a livewire on the field and is a master in the art of catching the ball in the deep boundary – we have often seen him flick the ball near the rope to maintain balance and complete a catch.
Hardik Pandya (India)
Hardik Pandya's ability to hit the deck hard and brilliant athleticism on the field is working wonders for India at the moment. The all-rounder made a telling statement in the recent IPL helping Mumbai Indians clinch an unprecedented fourth IPL title. Pandya has come back a much stronger player after a forced break due to off-field controversies and fitness issues. Gradually, he is adapting to the role of a finisher.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Rashid Khan has grown in stature and is one of the leading spinners in world cricket. He is expected to contain the batsmen in addition to picking up vital wickets. Apart from threatening the oppositions with his spin variety, Rashid is also a hard hitter of the ball down the order. The Afghans are likely to pull off a few surprises and a lot will depend on how the 20-year-old Rashid performs on the big stage.
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
Kagiso Rabada is a precious asset for South Africa who are searching for their maiden World Cup title. He is quick and has got the variations to keep the best of batsmen in check in both the powerplay and at the death. His fiery pace upfront backed up by lethal yorkers at the far end makes Rabada one bowler to watch out for. The 23-year-old also had an impressive IPL this summer when he picked up 26 wickets in 12 outings and was a major force behind Delhi Capitals making their playoffs since 2012.
Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Mitchell Starc has been plagued by injuries in recent times but broke into Australian World Cup squad. The searing left-arm seamer has had critics calling for his head for a while now, but Starc has shown in the past how to step up in big events and will have a point to prove in England and Wales. He was the joint highest wicket-taker in the last edition and was named the Player of the Tournament as he guided Australia to a record fifth title.
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Jasprit Bumrah's arsenal is quite a covetous one as it has seething bouncers, shrewd cutters, and incisive yorkers. From providing early breakthroughs to strangling the run flow at the death, the fast bowler has been serving a variety of purposes in the limited-overs game. Currently ranked as the No 1 bowler in ODI cricket, Bumrah will hold key to India's fortunes at the mega event in the UK.
RESERVES
Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan)
Fakhar Zaman, who holds the record for being the only Pakistani batsman to score a double century in ODIs, is a batting mainstay of his team. The left-hander has been in the limelight ever since his brilliant ton in the 2017 Champions Trophy final against India, which saw Pakistan lift the trophy for the very first time. Now, he has made a strong statement by scoring an 84-ball ton in the recent ODI series against World Cup hosts England. Rival teams have indeed heard the warning bells from Zaman.
Andre Russell (West Indies)
Andre Russell’s ODI record is actually a bit mediocre but he is the perfect modern-day player. He bowls fast and he whacks the ball out of the park. The burly West Indian lit up the IPL with his sensational hitting for Kolkata Knight Riders which paved the for way for his return to the West Indian ODI squad. His lively medium-pace bowling and brilliant fielding too will have a bearing on how far the Caribbeans progress in the quadrennial extravaganza.
Kuldeep Yadav (India)
Kuldeep Yadav has got a bag of tricks up his sleeve and discount him at one’s peril. The left-arm chinaman bowler is India’s number one spinner in the shorter format and he has formed a potent combination with leggie Yuzvendra Chahal. Kuldeep may go for runs, but he is also likely to pick up vital wickets. Apart from proving his worth on spin-friendly tracks in the sub-continent, the left-arm spinner has also proved to be handy on pace-friendly tracks in South Africa and England.
Trent Boult (New Zealand)
Trent Boult comes as one of the best exponents of the new ball in ODI cricket. Delivering goods consistently over the past many years, the paceman has notably been in a remarkable run of form in the last couple of months. Currently leading the charts for the highest wicket-takers in ODIs in 2019, he is also placed second on ICC's rankings for bowlers in the 50-over format. And given the seam-friendly conditions in England, the left-arm quickie would be someone to look out for.
Playing XI: Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan, Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada, Jasprit Bumrah
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Andre Russell, Kuldeep Yadav, Trent Boult