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Opinion
As the World Cup heads into the final few group games for each nation, a few Australians look like they’ll make the team of the tournament.
The lion’s share of players will come from the red-hot Indian and South African sides while the likes of Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner are a chance of forcing their way in after Australia have peeled off four straight wins after an 0-2 start.
South African keeper Quinton de Kock is the favourite to take out player of the tournament honours after he blazed his way to a fourth century in the opener’s farewell tournament before retiring from one-day cricket.
Warner has proved his many critics wrong with the 37-year-old registering two tons at the top of the order for Australia while Zampa is the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 16 and Maxwell has been stingy with his off-spinners plus he also smashed a sensational century.
After heated debate around the Roar HQ, our cricket nuffies picked their team and we came up with a consensus Team of the World Cup so far.
For the opening spots, de Kock and Warner were the preferred selections although Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is also in the frame.
De Kock is the leading run-scorer with 545 at 77.85, capped by his 174 against Bangladesh, while Warner has amassed 413 at 68.83, including two tons, with each opener striking at more than 112.
Sharma is not far behind with 398 at 66.33 with a 119.16 strike rate.
In the middle order, it is no surprise to see Virat Kohli (354 runs at 88.5) but few cricket fans had heard of New Zealand’s breakout star Rachin Ravindra before this tournament.
The young Kiwi trails only de Kock for runs with 415 at 69.16, striking at better than a run a ball, and he’s hit two centuries to offset the absence of injured skipper Kane Williamson.
For the third middle-order slot, Proteas trio Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen, Pakistani keeper Mohammad Rizwan and Sri Lanka’s Sadeera Samarawickrama were in the mix.
Virat Kohli celebrates his century against Bangladesh. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
After a fierce debate and a minor scuffle which damaged some office furniture at Roar HQ, Markram was given the nod from the divided panel of judges.
When it came to the all-rounders, Marco Jansen was a unanimous choice with Maxwell also getting rewarded for his sterling efforts for Australia, although his playing future is now clouded because he suffered a concussion after falling out of a golf cart.
For the spinners, Zampa’s 16 wickets at 19.06 made him an automatic selection with New Zealand’s Mitch Santner edging out his fellow left-armer in India’s Kuldeep Yadav.
Indian spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s 14 wickets at 15.07 earned him a spot while the final pace option came down to his teammate Mohammed Shami, Sri Lankan leftie Dilshan Madushanka and Pakistani star Shaheen Shah Afridi.
More blood was spilt at the debating table and one judge was formally warned by HR for the use of foul language before Shaheen was handed the final spot due to his magnificent mane of hair and 16 scalps at 19.93.
| Paul Suttor | Tim Miller | Mike Meehall Wood | Consensus Team of the Cup |
| Quinton de Kock | Quinton de Kock | Quinton de Kock | Quinton de Kock |
| David Warner | David Warner | Rohit Sharma | David Warner |
| Virat Kohli | Virat Kohli | Virat Kohli | Virat Kohli |
| Rachin Ravindra | Rachin Ravindra | Rachin Ravindra | Rachin Ravindra |
| Rassie van der Dussen | Aiden Markram | Sadeera Samarawickrama | Aiden Markram (after further fierce debate) |
| Glenn Maxwell | Heinrich Klaasen | Glenn Maxwell | Glenn Maxwell |
| Marco Jansen | Marco Jansen | Marco Jansen | Marco Jansen |
| Shaheen Afridi | Mitch Santner | Mitch Santner | Mitch Santner |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Mohammed Shami | Jasprit Bumrah | Jasprit Bumrah |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Jasprit Bumrah | Dilshan Madushanka | Shaheen Afridi (in a split decision) |
| Adam Zampa | Adam Zampa | Adam Zampa | Adam Zampa |
How did we go? Who was lucky to make the team of the tournament (so far) and who should have made the cut?
Have your say in the comments below.
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