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.
Sai Chaitanya
Roar Rookie
The Team of the World Cup that has been stated above is pretty good. But everyone is forgetting the main man Rohit Sharma, not only is he performing well with bat but also his strategies as a captain and bowling rotations are second to none. Who do you think can better lead the team of WC other than Rohit??? For me Rohit should be right up there as a Captain Batsman :stoked: :stoked:
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
yep, only once over 6 in his last 11 ODI's, and that was only 6.2, and at easy Adelaide and only twice over 7 in his last 14 T20s, and both of those 7 exactly (140 score). which is miraculous, because everyone gets got in T20 at some stage. not him... seems like the perfect middle over holding bowler to complement a Zampa with a spring in his step. Maxwell to skid a few bonus overs in early with the harder ball. and smash record tons.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
We all know numbers can be manipulated or interpreted in all sorts of different ways. As the saying goes, they often don't paint the true picture of what's going on
sedz
Roar Rookie
I was wrong, SL lost 4 wickets for 3 ????
sedz
Roar Rookie
India struggling against SL on a good batting wicket. Apart from Sharma at the top, India do not accelerate as much as SA or other teams do. The gap left by Pandya is showing up as India don’t have power hitters other than SKY. Kohli played for his 100 and got out.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Stats...the less important stats are often emphasised with cricket. It's why Pat Cummins bowls to the tail.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Oh, for Ashton Agar! That's his thing.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
De Kock is being lauded for his form with the bat and rightfully so..But this has tended us to overlook his performances behind the stumps with the gloves ..He has been absolutely flawless even sensational at times…Easily so far the best gloveman at the tournament …
sedz
Roar Rookie
Agreed. And news is that Marsh is not available for WC indefinitely as he flies back home for personal reasons.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Agree with you 100% BigG
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Of the captains there, Rohit's probably got the hardest job. There are some very healthy egos in that team and he has to keep the fans appeased with wins. Throw in his own responsibilities at the top of the order and the quiet, calm way he's going about his captaincy and IMO he's the best of this lot.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Agreed about Jadeja. he's really doing a job with his bowling, keeping things tight and picking up a few wickets. Throw in his fielding which is usually worth 20 or 30 runs and his batting and he's almost a must in a "best of" team. As for the Poms, I'm wondering if they're morally entitled to sneak a player into this team? :happy:
Polymath
Roar Rookie
Tom Latham is probably a ‘great bloke’ but him and the NZ ‘brains trust’ are throwing themselves and the team under the bus by stupidly saying “we’ll bowl thanks” when he wins the toss. Twice in a row he’s given the opposition an invitation to go out and set an utterly imposing total on an utter belter of a deck. Going out and setting a big total is the exact modus operandi of both South Africa and Australia, and Latham opened the hen house door to a couple of ravenous foxes.
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
great teams jansen was at it again. he is really firing compared to the slightly damp version we saw last summer.
ColinT
Roar Rookie
As much as I love watching Warner when on fire, I find it hard to squeeze out Sharma. As for bowling I would bring in Yadav and Shami for Zampa and Santner. I would have liked to find room for Jadeja who has the best economy rate of all.
sedz
Roar Rookie
I don’t know if he is the best captain but certainly he plays spin and pace well. I d equally say I am impressed with Devon Conway, Rachin and Klassen with the bat. But NZ vs Pakistan next week is a virtual knock out and India vs SA is another one I am looking forward to. Australia vs England a lot less significant given that one team is almost IN and the other is OUT.
Ace
Roar Rookie
I'm a little inclined toward the Indians as well BigG and I think I would have Jadeja in my team. A particularly great lower order batter as well as having a very good economy rate Apart from that I'm displeased about not having a pom selected :silly:
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
Dunno about Zampa. Highest E/R in the game went at over 6 an over in a low scoring tussle against India, 1/70 against SA and 3/74 against NZ. Sure he got a bag against the Dutch and Sri Lanka but Zampa 16 wickets at 6.22 E/R K Yadav 10 wickets at 4.50 E/R Jadeja 8 wickets at 3.75 E/R R Khan 7 wickets at 4.88 E/R
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Rohit for mine is the best opener in this format by some distance. I doubt greatly anyone bar him could have played that innings that he produced against England, probably not de Kock and certainly not Warner I'd also argue he's the best captain, yet still can't get a look in?
sedz
Roar Rookie
I think India had good contributions from KL Rahul, Jadeja, Shami and Pandya at different times. Though no one lit up the tournament on fire like SA did.