Cricket World Cup 2015: Hit XI of Group Stage

Cricket World Cup 2015: Hit XI of Group Stage: Last time we had presented the Flop XI of the World Cup 2015. This time we honor the performers of the World Cup group stage by presenting you with the Hit XI (and a 12th man). 11 players and a 12th man who have performed extraordinarily throughout the group stage for their teams : 1 – Shikhar Dhawan (India) Shikhar Dhawan has been one of the best openers in this World Cup so far. (Photo Source: CricketNDTV Twitter Handle) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Runs – 337 | HS. – 137 | Avg. – 56.16 Shikhar Dhawan has been one of the best openers in this World Cup so far. He has scored 2 centuries in the World Cup so far and the best Indian batsman in the World Cup, giving quick starts to India and compensating for his partner’s bad form. 2 – Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) The Kiwi Captain has taken the World Cup by storm with his blitzkrieg like innings at the starts. (© Getty Images) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Runs – 257 | HS. – 77 | Avg. – 42.83 The Kiwi Captain has taken the World Cup by storm with his blitzkrieg like innings at the starts. He has made 50 in 18 balls against England and in 20 balls against Australia. His innings has given the New Zealand side the impetus it needs to make a big score. His captaincy and attitude to do anything to win is a bonus add-on for his team. 3 – Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara is playing his final ODI tournament and has decided to write his own script for his farewell. (© Getty Images) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Runs – 496 | HS. – 124 |Avg. – 124.00 Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara is playing his final ODI tournament and has decided to write his own script for his farewell. He became the first batsman ever in ODI history and World Cup history to hit 4 centuries in a row. He is also the leading contender for the Man of the tournament award so far. A World Cup win for Sri Lanka will be the cherry on the top for the wonderful Sangakkara and his farewell. 4 – Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe) /Mahmudullah (Bangladesh) Brendan Taylor shocked the cricketing world with the announced that he is ending his international career with Zimbabwe. (© Getty Images) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Runs – 433 | HS. – 138 |Avg. -72.16 Brendan Taylor shocked the cricketing world with the announced that he is ending his international career with Zimbabwe to play for Nottinghamshire in the English county league. He also ended his career with 2 back to back centuries against Ireland and India. But his team lost all the 5 matches out of 6 in the group stage in this 2015 World cup. Taylor leaves the Zimbabwe cricket with his head held high. Mahmudullah became the first Bangladeshi batsman to hit a century in World Cup against England. (Photo Source:BCB) Matches – 5 | Innings – 5 | Runs – 344 | HS. – 128* | Avg. -86.00 Mahmudullah became the first Bangladeshi batsman to hit a century in World Cup against England. His century and Rubel Hossain’s 4 wickets helped Bangladesh qualify for the QFs and knocking England out of the World Cup. He then followed it up with another century against New Zealand, becoming the first Bangladeshi to hit 2 back to back centuries in World Cup and 2nd batsman of Bangladesh to do so. 5- AB de Villiers (South Africa) /Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan) AB de Villiers has redefined the last 15 overs hitting in ODIs. (© Getty Images) Matches – 5 | Innings – 5 | Runs – 417 | HS. – 162* | Avg. -83.40 AB de Villiers has redefined the last 15 overs hitting in ODIs. He kind of comes in pre started and just starts hitting the ball out of the ground. He also almost single handedly took South Africa to win against Pakistan. He is the batsman on which South Africa depend the most to take them to win. Misbah-ul-Haq is the lone warrior of Pakistan Team. (Photo Source:ICC) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Runs – 316 | HS. – 76 | Avg. -52.66 Misbah-ul-Haq is the lone Pakistani batsman with 316 runs doing something to win matches for Pakistan before Sarfraz Ahmed came to the party. Along with Wahab Riaz and other bowlers, he contributed with bat for Pakistan. 6 – MS Dhoni (C/WK) (India) Indian Captain MS Dhoni has been the front runner. (Photo Source:Associated Press) Matches – 6 | Innings – 4 | Runs – 166 | HS. – 85* | Avg. – 83.00 | Dismissals – 11 |Wins As Captain – 6 Indian Captain MS Dhoni has been the front runner as far as captaincy is concerned along with McCullum. But he has been the inspirational factor for Indian fielders and bowlers as evident from his stump mic conversations. He came into his own with the bat when India needed him the most against West Indies and recently against the Zimbabwe, when he helped Suresh Raina who scored a hundred take India to win from an alarming position. His 85* runs helped India win its 6th straight match in the group. He also ended the match with his patented match winning six. Now the onus is on him to take India to the finals and defend the title. 7- Ravichandran Ashwin (India) The lone spinner in our XI, R. Ashwin has been the most impressive of all spinners on pitches which have not being conducive to spin. (Photo Source: BCCI) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Wickets – 12 | Best Bowling Figure – 4/25 | Economy – 4.52 The lone spinner in our XI, R. Ashwin has been the most impressive of all spinners on pitches which have not being conducive to spin. But he has used variation of speed, flight and spin matched with the bounce that Australian pitches impart. He took his first 4 wicket haul against UAE in dismissing them for 105 runs. 8 – Mohammad Shami (India) Mohd. Shami has been one of the most impressive fast bowlers in this World cup picking up 15 wickets so far. (Photo Source : Getty Images) Matches – 5 | Innings – 5 | Wickets – 15 | Best Bowling Figure – 4/35 | Economy – 4.39 Mohd. Shami has been one of the most impressive fast bowlers in this World cup picking up 15 wickets so far. He took 4/35 against Pakistan in helping India win it 6th match against the arch rivals in World Cup, and has been consistent in picking up wickets so far against all the opponents in the group. 9 – Mitchell Starc (Australia) Mitchell Starc has picked up 16 wickets in this World Cup with a best of 6/28 in a losing cause against New Zealand. (Photo Source:AFP) Matches – 5 | Innings – 5 | Wickets – 16 | Best Bowling Figure – 6/28 | Economy -3.67 Mitchell Starc has picked up 16 wickets in this World Cup with a best of 6/28 in a losing cause against New Zealand. He has bowled with speed, swing and picked up wickets whenever the captain has brought him to bowl. He will be the key when Australia play Pakistan in the QFs. 10 – Trent Boult (New Zealand) New Zealand’s Trent Boult has taken 15 wickets with a 5fer against Australia. (Photo Source: WICB) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Wickets – 15 | Best Bowling Figure – 5/27 | Economy -4.17 New Zealand’s Trent Boult has taken 15 wickets with a 5fer against Australia. He has bowled with pace, has swung the ball and the best, has picked up wickets for his team. Boult has picked wickets whenever McCullum has brought him own whether up front in the start of the innings or at the end to finish the tail off. 11 – Shapoor Zadran (Afghanistan) The most impressive of all the associate teams, Afghanistan produced the best bowling efforts against each of the opponents they have played. (Photo Source:AFP) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Wickets – 10 | Best Bowling Figure – 4/38 | Economy – 5.19 The most impressive of all the associate teams, Afghanistan produced the best bowling efforts against each of the opponents they have played. Shapoor Zadran has been one of the most impressive bowlers to come through. He took 10 wickets with best being 4/38 against Scotland, in a match they won. Zadran also helped with the bat making 12 runs and taking Afghanistan to a superlative win. 12th Man – Shaiman Anwar (UAE) This list couldn’t have ended without the mention of Shaiman Anwar of UAE. (Photo Source:AFP) Matches – 6 | Innings – 6 | Runs – 311 | HS. – 106 | Avg. – 51.83 This list couldn’t have ended without the mention of Shaiman Anwar of UAE. Anwar took the World Cup with storm by making 2 fifties and a hundred in the tournament. Anwar was the highest run scorer at one point of time. He scored UAE’s first World Cup hundred, a 106 against Ireland. One of the most wonderful finds from associate nations. (*ALL PLAYER’S STATS UPDATED TILL END OF LEAGUE STAGE i.e. 15th March 2015)