Champions Australia have only three players included in the ICC’s team of the World Cup, which contains five New Zealanders.
Paceman Mitchell Starc, batsman Steve Smith and allrounder Glenn Maxwell were the only Australians to make the side, despite their team boasting the World Cup after a one-sided seven-wicket thrashing of co-hosts New Zealand in Sunday’s final.
The ICC team (in batting order):
Martin Guptill (NZ), Brendon McCullum (NZ, capt), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, wicketkeeper), Steve Smith (Aust), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Glenn Maxwell (Aust), Corey Anderson (NZ), Daniel Vettori (NZ) Mitchell Starc (Aust), Trent Boult (NZ), Morne Morkel (South Africa). Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe, 12th man).
The ICC said the team was chosen by a panel of experts headed by ICC general manager cricket, Geoff Allardice.
They were given the task of picking a balanced side on the basis of performances in the tournament, with statistics used but not the sole basis for selections.
“The panel eventually came up with this side, which, in their view, was the most balanced outfit that is capable of beating any side on any given day,” said Allardice.
Other players discussed as possible selections included batsmen Mahmudullah (Bangladesh) and Shaiman Anwar (UAE), fast bowlers Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami (both India), Wahab Riaz (Pakistan) and spinners Imran Tahir (South Africa) and Ravi Ashwin (India).
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Johnson for Anderson. Bowled like a demon in the semi and the final, plus he can slog.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Ouch!
HB
Roar Rookie
McCullum has a ridiculous strike rate, though. I'd be happy with a quick-fire 35 from 20 balls at the top of the innings given that there's plenty of batting to come.
Fight fair.
Guest
I wonder what the result would have been in the final if Austrailia had as many good players as New Zealand .
maximillian
Guest
Guptill was the highest run scorer in the tournament with 547 at an average of 68.37. He should open with Dhawan & drop McCullum.
70s Mo
Guest
3 Aussies? That's just totally daft and patronising. Hazlewood for Morkel and Faulner for Anderson brings it to 5 Aussies which is about right. I understand Sangakkara for wk but the tournament's best keeper was Brad Haddin.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I'd definitely take Faulkner over Anderson, but because he started with an injury and missed the first half and then really didn't get a lot of opportunities with the bat, he doesn't have the stats to push him forward in a team of the World Cup.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
One thing with the Aussie batsmen is that they missed out a bit on opportunities to beat up on minnows and pad their stats. They really only had one chance for that, Afghanistan. Bangladesh, though technically slightly above a minnow, are still a team Australia would have backed themselves to get close to 400 against, and against Scotland, if the weather had been fine, they likely would have batted first and piled on the runs, instead they bowled them out cheaply and chased the runs quickly.
Nate
Guest
Bit of a joke that there are 5 kiwis and only 3 Aussies in the team. While I realise that NZ went undefeated through the group stages, both Australia and NZ only lost one match. Australia lost theirs in a tight one by just the one wicket, NZ got rolled in their loss. Corey Anderson? Really?
BBA
Guest
MCCullum's cameos were effective and entertaining. Plus with that team, and its batting talent, McCullum offers that team something else - the blistering start and the most offensive mined batsmen in the first 10 overs. You dont get that with Dhawan, and i think the teams batting is better for having McCullum there instead. Dhawan offers plenty but I think in terms of the role of an accumulator Smith and Sangakarra offer more, which is why they are in the team. If Warner had a better World Cup then I would of gone with him over Dhawan. If McCullum fails you have Sanagakarra and Steve Smith. Finally if you were the opposition, and opening the bowling at this WC who would you rather bowl to Dhawan or McCullum?
Prosenjit
Guest
Actually with starc and boult using the new ball,shami has to come one change.morkel is the better option there.my changes are ashwin and faulkner for vettori n anderson.tahir could be there but he would make the tail long.
Prosenjit
Guest
Aha..5 kiwis, they loved them so much.the weather loved them too,came at the right time. B-)
JGK
Roar Guru
The no brainers are 3-6 and Boult and Starc. The other positions could be argued.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
5 kiwis and no Indians is quite bizarre. Shami very stiff to miss out as is Tahir.
Brian
Guest
morkel got ahead of johnson and riaz as a right hander since starc and boult are both left-armers. My only issue is anderson at 7. i'd prefer mamadullah, elliott, faulkner, mathews, b taylor or ashwin
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I would probably have picked Tahir over Vettori and Johnson over Morkel. On form Dhawan would be unlucky not to get a look in.
sheek
Roar Guru
It needs to be remembered the team was chosen over the whole tournament. The Aussies started slowly & finished strongest. So it's fair to say the fact there are five Kiwis is because they were undefeated until the final. Anyway, the Assies won the match that mattered.
HB
Roar Rookie
Ok, I'm happy to replace him with the left-handed Dhawan.
deccas
Guest
Outside of his 178 against Afghanistan Warner had a totally forgettable world cup. He just can't make the team ahead of Guptill or Dhawan or Rohit or even Dilshan
Renegade
Roar Guru
Sangakarra did keep throughout the tournament.... I'd have picked Brendon Taylor anyway. Corey Anderson shouldn't be near this side.