• 2 Brendon McCullum, New Zealand: The defining personality in the World Cup, he would have been named player of the tournament had his side not been defeated by Australia in the final. His ultra-aggressive method has rewritten the playbook for this format. Yet his charming manner which won just as many fans. He is class personified. David Rowland / AP Photo
    2 Brendon McCullum, New Zealand: The defining personality in the World Cup, he would have been named player of the tournament had his side not been defeated by Australia in the final. His ultra-aggressive method has rewritten the playbook for this format. Yet his charming manner which won just as many fans. He is class personified. David Rowland / AP Photo
  • 3 Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka: There can only be one winner, and thus the only person able to end his limited-overs career on a high was Michael Clarke, the retiring captain of the champions Australia. However, Sangakkara left plenty to remember him by, with a record four successive centuries in the competition. That, plus a body of work over is career that extends to over 14,000 ODI runs. Indranil Mukhherjee / AFP
    3 Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka: There can only be one winner, and thus the only person able to end his limited-overs career on a high was Michael Clarke, the retiring captain of the champions Australia. However, Sangakkara left plenty to remember him by, with a record four successive centuries in the competition. That, plus a body of work over is career that extends to over 14,000 ODI runs. Indranil Mukhherjee / AFP
  • 4 Steve Smith, Australia: As the tournament reached its business stages, Australia’s captain-in-waiting produced his finest work. He had innings of 95, 72, 65 and 105 to get them to the final. Once they had made it there, Smith took it upon himself to carry the host nation over the winning line, with an unbeaten 56 to see off New Zealand in front of 93,000 at the MCG. Ryan Pierse / Getty
    4 Steve Smith, Australia: As the tournament reached its business stages, Australia’s captain-in-waiting produced his finest work. He had innings of 95, 72, 65 and 105 to get them to the final. Once they had made it there, Smith took it upon himself to carry the host nation over the winning line, with an unbeaten 56 to see off New Zealand in front of 93,000 at the MCG. Ryan Pierse / Getty
  • 5 AB de Villiers, South Africa: Ended the competition disorientated, shell-shocked and tearful, yet his contribution to it was otherwise magnificent. The world’s most highly skilled batsman was like a walking showreel at the crease. His inside out drive for six over extra cover off Mohammed Tauqir, the UAE’s canny captain, at the Wellington Regional Stadium, was a particular highlight. Hagen Hopkins / Getty
    5 AB de Villiers, South Africa: Ended the competition disorientated, shell-shocked and tearful, yet his contribution to it was otherwise magnificent. The world’s most highly skilled batsman was like a walking showreel at the crease. His inside out drive for six over extra cover off Mohammed Tauqir, the UAE’s canny captain, at the Wellington Regional Stadium, was a particular highlight. Hagen Hopkins / Getty
  • 6 Grant Elliott, New Zealand: Deserved far more than a mouthful of abuse from James Faulkner and Brad Haddin for his heroics in the final and the semi-final. AB de Villiers acclaimed Elliott’s six to win a place in the finale at the expense of the country of his birth as the best shot he has ever hit in his life. It was probably the best shot in the history of New Zealand’s limited-overs side, too. Indranil Mukherjee / AFP
    6 Grant Elliott, New Zealand: Deserved far more than a mouthful of abuse from James Faulkner and Brad Haddin for his heroics in the final and the semi-final. AB de Villiers acclaimed Elliott’s six to win a place in the finale at the expense of the country of his birth as the best shot he has ever hit in his life. It was probably the best shot in the history of New Zealand’s limited-overs side, too. Indranil Mukherjee / AFP
  • 7 James Faulkner, Australia: Faulkner’s impact on this World Cup was saved for when Australia needed it most. His contributions against Scotland and Afghanistan were negligible, and he missed three other pool matches. However, he was central to wins against Sri Lanka and India, and was man of the match for the spell of bowling which turned the final decisively in Australia’s favour. Cameron Spencer / Getty
    7 James Faulkner, Australia: Faulkner’s impact on this World Cup was saved for when Australia needed it most. His contributions against Scotland and Afghanistan were negligible, and he missed three other pool matches. However, he was central to wins against Sri Lanka and India, and was man of the match for the spell of bowling which turned the final decisively in Australia’s favour. Cameron Spencer / Getty
  • 8 Wahab Riaz, Pakistan: Nine overs, two wickets for 54. It looks totally nondescript written down. But the simple facts of a scorecard do nothing to convey the drama of his spell to Shane Watson in Pakistan’s quarter-final defeat against Australia. He took more wickets in fixtures against Ireland, South Africa and Zimbabwe, but it is his Australia fireworks which will live longest in the memory. Arif Ali / AFP
    8 Wahab Riaz, Pakistan: Nine overs, two wickets for 54. It looks totally nondescript written down. But the simple facts of a scorecard do nothing to convey the drama of his spell to Shane Watson in Pakistan’s quarter-final defeat against Australia. He took more wickets in fixtures against Ireland, South Africa and Zimbabwe, but it is his Australia fireworks which will live longest in the memory. Arif Ali / AFP
  • 9 Mitchell Starc, Australia: The player of the tournament. Along with Wahab Riaz, he was probably the fastest bowler in it, but it was his skill as much as the brute ferocity which earned him his rewards. He said his three-ball owning of Brendon McCullum was a careful plan hatched with Craig McDermott, Australia’s bowling coach. Whatever it was, the execution was perfect. Brandon Malone / Reuters
    9 Mitchell Starc, Australia: The player of the tournament. Along with Wahab Riaz, he was probably the fastest bowler in it, but it was his skill as much as the brute ferocity which earned him his rewards. He said his three-ball owning of Brendon McCullum was a careful plan hatched with Craig McDermott, Australia’s bowling coach. Whatever it was, the execution was perfect. Brandon Malone / Reuters
  • 10 Imran Tahir, South Africa: Dan Vettori’s swansong might have won the romantics’ vote for the spinner berth in the ICC’s official team of the tournament, but Tahir’s impact was greater. The Pakistani-born leg-spinner had four- and five-wicket hauls in the World Cup, but his finest display was his 0-40 against New Zealand. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel could not tether the Kiwi batsman but Tahir did. Rick Rycroft / AP Photo
    10 Imran Tahir, South Africa: Dan Vettori’s swansong might have won the romantics’ vote for the spinner berth in the ICC’s official team of the tournament, but Tahir’s impact was greater. The Pakistani-born leg-spinner had four- and five-wicket hauls in the World Cup, but his finest display was his 0-40 against New Zealand. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel could not tether the Kiwi batsman but Tahir did. Rick Rycroft / AP Photo
  • 11 Trent Boult, New Zealand: It says so much about Boult’s growing worth to New Zealand that, while Australia only took 33.1 overs to reach their target in the final, he had already bowled out his allocated overs. He was his captain’s go-to bowler, and topped the leading wicket taker charts, alongside Mitchell Starc. The final was just his 25th ODI, and there is plenty more to come. Cameron Spencer / Getty
    11 Trent Boult, New Zealand: It says so much about Boult’s growing worth to New Zealand that, while Australia only took 33.1 overs to reach their target in the final, he had already bowled out his allocated overs. He was his captain’s go-to bowler, and topped the leading wicket taker charts, alongside Mitchell Starc. The final was just his 25th ODI, and there is plenty more to come. Cameron Spencer / Getty

Sport

McCullum, Starc and De Villiers all feature: The National’s cricket World Cup team of the tournament

Paul Radley
Paul Radley
Dubai

March 30, 2015

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