World Cup team of the tournament... so far

On a rare day during the Cricket World Cup where no teams were named, we took the opportunity to name our team of the tournament... so far.

The XI contains the standout performers across the first two weeks of the tournament, packed to the brim with some of the biggest names in world cricket, and one you might not have heard of.

1. Brendon McCullum (c) - New Zealand

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Runs: 207 | Ave: 51.75 | SR: 188.18 | HS: 77 (25) v England in Wellington

Inspirational batsman. Inspirational leader. Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum knows only one way to play cricket: attack. Armed with arguably the best all-round bowling unit in the tournament, McCullum regularly employs at least one slip, sets aggressive fields and isn’t afraid to go for the kill when he smells blood. With the bat, there is no player as dangerous at the top of the order. His whirlwind 77 in Wellington hammered England, and a rapid half-century against the blinding speed of Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins showed he fears no one.

2. Shikhar Dhawan - India

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Runs: 224 | Ave: 74.66 | SR: 93.72 | HS: 137 (146) v South Africa in Melbourne

Entering the tournament short of runs and down on confidence, India opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan snapped out of his form funk with a measured 73 against Pakistan in Adelaide before taking apart South Africa’s vaunted bowling attack for 137 in Melbourne. A nervous starter, the moustachioed Dhawan survived close calls in both knocks before jumping on anything short and wide to signal his arrival in the 50-over showpiece.

3. Kumar Sangakkara (wk) - Sri Lanka

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Runs: 268 | Ave: 134 | SR: 125.82 | HS: 117 not out v England in Wellington

At 37, Kumar Sangakkara is only getting better with age. Scores of 39 and seven against New Zealand and Afghanistan respectively have been quickly forgotten after the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman scored his fastest ODI ton then broke his personal mark in the very next match. The left-hander’s ton in the big win over Bangladesh at the MCG came in 73 balls, but he then bettered that by three balls in the comprehensive victory against England at the ‘Cake Tin’. So good has his form been this tournament, and during his World Cup career, that Sangakkara has been voted the greatest wicketkeeper in the tournament’s history by cricket.com.au readers, knocking off Australian Adam Gilchrist in our head-to-head poll.

4. Virat Kohli - India

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Runs: 186 | Ave: 93.00 | SR: 81.93 | HS: 107 v Pakistan in Adelaide

If Australian and English cricketers are judged by their performances in Ashes contests, then so too are Indian and Pakistan players in their head-to-head battles. In what was predicted to be the most watched cricket match of all-time, India’s blockbuster opening match against their fierce rivals was a stage set for a hero’s performance. Enter Virat Kohli. The 26-year-old compiled a clinical century – the 22nd of his ODI career – to set up India’s match-winning total of 300 and cement his place in India-Pakistan folklore, if it wasn’t already.

5. AB de Villiers - South Africa

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Runs: 217 | Ave: 108.50 | SR: 155.00 | HIS 162 not out v West Indies in Sydney

AB de Villiers scored 162 not out off 66 balls, including 17 fours and eight sixes against the West Indies at the SCG. Freak.

6. Shaiman Anwar - UAE

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Runs: 208 | Ave: 69.33 | SR: 114.28 | HS: 106 v Ireland in Brisbane

Following five of the biggest names in world cricket comes the form No.6 of the competition, Shaiman Anwar. The 35-year-old started the tournament with a bang, top scoring in the United Arab Emirates’ total of 7-285 with a rapid 50-ball 67 against Zimbabwe in Nelson. But that was just a warm-up to the main show – a stunning 106 from 83 balls, including 10 fours and a six, in the thrilling two-wicket loss to Ireland at the Gabba. For those of you questioning his inclusion, Anwar has more runs than McCullum, a better strike rate than Chris Gayle and more boundaries than Kohli.

7. Corey Anderson - New Zealand

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Runs: 112 | Ave: 37.33 | SR: 107.69 | HS: 75 v Sri Lanka in Christchurch

Wickets: 6 | Ave: 8.33 | SR: 10.5 | ER: 4.76 | BB: 3-18 v Scotland in Dunedin

Ferocious with the bat and frugal with the ball, Corey Anderson has been the World Cup’s premier allrounder to date. A blistering knock of 75 from 46 balls was backed up by 2-18 with the ball in a man-of-the-match performance against Sri Lanka to open the tournament. His right-arm medium-fast seamers ended Australia’s innings on Saturday, and his patient but highly important 26 from 42 balls guided the Black Caps out of trouble before Mitchell Starc sent the match down to the wire in a World Cup classic.

8. Ravichandran Ashwin - India

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Wickets: 8 | Ave: 13.37 | SR: 21.0 | ER: 3.82 | BB: 4-25 v UAE in Perth

India’s leading wicket-taker, Ravi Ashwin has proven he can perform away from the spin friendly conditions the sub-continent provides. After a rocky start against South Africa where he conceded two boundaries off his first six balls, the off-spinner locked it down for his remaining nine overs, conceding only one more boundary while snaring three wickets. His control and variation make him an ideal slow bowler in the Antipodes, and on the traditional fast bowler’s paradise of the WACA Ground Ashwin claimed career-best figures of 4-25 against the UAE to retain India’s No.1 position in Pool B.

9. Mitchell Starc - Australia

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Wickets: 8 | Ave: 9.37 | SR: 13.5 | ER: 4.16 | BB: 6-28 v New Zealand in Auckland

Despite only playing two matches, Mitchell Starc’s scintillating six wickets in the Eden Park epic earns him his place in the starting XI. Much has been made about the disappearance of the yorker in one-day cricket, but Starc reminded the 40,000 strong crowd in Auckland that he is one of the finest exponents of the sand-shoe crusher. Four of his six victims were cleaned up by full and straight deliveries, hushing the parochial crowd and providing the visitors a glimmer of hope.

10. Tim Southee - New Zealand

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Wickets: 13 | Ave: 13.53 | SR: 16.6 | ER: 4.88 | BB: 7-33 v England in Wellington

The tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Tim Southee now owns the best ODI bowling figures by a Black Cap after his demolition job of England in Wellington. Swinging it around corners from ball one, Southee annihilated Eoin Morgan’s men to confirm his status as one of the best new ball bowlers in the world. After an inauspicious first over that went for 15 against Australia, Southee regained his composure to castle Aaron Finch and later pinned opening partner David Warner leg before in the match of the tournament.

11. Trent Boult - New Zealand

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Wickets: 10 | Ave: 14.40 | SR: 21.6 | ER: 4.00 | BB: 5-27 v Australia in Auckland

Southee’s partner in crime, Trent Boult’s rapid left-arm pace perfectly complements his new ball partner. New Zealand’s greatest cricketer Sir Richard Hadlee has said the opening pair is the country’s ‘best-ever new-ball combination’. The 25-year-old claimed five wickets against the Proteas in a warm-up match last month, but on the weekend did it for real, at one stage taking 5-1 against a seemingly defenceless Australia. It’s no surprise that the undefeated Black Caps have four players in the World Cup XI to date.