ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Cricbuzz team of the tournament

Three New Zealand players, two from Australia, two from India, South Africa and one apiece from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh feature in Cricbuzz' ICC World Cup 2015 team of the tournament. The bench is a strong one as well while the coach of the side is as good as they come.

Martin Guptill

Scores: 49 v SL, 17 v SCO, 22 v ENG, 11 v AUS, 57 v AFG, 105 v BAN, 237* v WI, 34 v SA, 15 v AUS (final).Total runs: 547. Average: 68.37.

Coming into the tournament on the back of multiple failures, the pressure was on Guptill to deliver and justify his selection. He did not get going straight away, failing to come up with anything substantial in his first four World Cup matches. However, he came into his own when the tournament was heading towards its business end. He found form with a half-century against Afghanistan, scored a century against Bangladesh in New Zealand's final group game before blasting the highest individual score of the World Cup in the quarters. Although he did not score much against South Africa and Australia in the semis and the final, Guptill finished as the highest run-scorer of the tournament.

Shikhar Dhawan

Scores: 73 v PAK, 137 v SA, 14 v UAE, 9 v WI, 100 v IRE, 4 v ZIM, 30 v BAN, 45 v AUS (semis).

Total runs: 412. Average: 51.50.

Be it the Test series against Australia or the tri-series to follow, Dhawan was woefully out of touch and looked out of sorts against the quicker bowlers. However, just like the Indian team, he was a transformed person as soon as the World Cup began. While he missed out on a well-deserved century in the opening match against Pakistan, the left-handed opener did make sure that South Africa and Ireland were made to pay. He looked good even in the knock-out games, but could not convert his starts into sizeable scores. Nevertheless, he finished as the highest run-getter for India in the tournament and the fifth highest overall.

Steven Smith

Scores: 5 v ENG, 4 v NZ, 95 v AFG, 72 v SL, DNB v SCO, 65 v PAK (quarters), 105 v IND (semis), 56* v NZ (final).Total runs: 402. Average: 67.00.

Steven Smith has hardly put a foot wrong this Australian summer and his run-amassing spree continued in the World Cup as he notched up four half-centuries along with a century against his favourite team India to finish as Australia's highest run-getter. He also broke a few records in the process, becoming the first player to score five fifty+ scores in a row in the World Cup while he also became the first to score fifty or more in the quarters, semis and the final. His most important knock was his hundred against India - the 2011 champions had snared Warner early and were looking good for more breakthroughs when they faced their familiar nemesis, who completely changed the game in favour of the hosts.

AB de Villiers (capt)

Scores: 25 v ZIM, 30 v IND, 162* v WI, 24 v IRE, 77 v PAK, 99 v UAE, DNB v SL (quarters), 65* v NZ (semis).Total runs: 482. Average: 96.40.

He had already grabbed the headlines before the World Cup, having registered the fastest half-century and the fastest century in ODIs. AB de Villiers was going to be a force to reckon with during the tournament and he lived up to the tag with a superb performance in the 2015 edition. While he had a quiet start against Zimbabwe and India, West Indies felt the brunt of the AB force yet again as he added one more record against his name - scoring the fastest 150 in ODI cricket and also the second fastest ton in the World Cup. While he narrowly missed out on a three-figure score against UAE, he starred in losing causes against Pakistan and the emotional semi-final game against New Zealand.

Kumar Sangakkara (wk)

Scores: 39 v NZ, 7 v AFG, 105* v BAN, 117* v ENG, 104 v AUS, 124 v SCO, 45 v SA (quarters)Total runs: 541. Average: 108.20.

Having already announced that he will quit ODI cricket at the end of the World Cup, Kumar Sangakkara went out with an intent to make this tournament his own. Such was his amazing run in the tournament that he went on to become the first player to score four hundreds in a row in the World Cup. While he also become only the second player after Sachin Tendulkar to cross the 500-run barrier twice in the world event, Sri Lanka's meek surrender to South Africa in the quarter-final, was a tame end to an illustrious career.

Mahmudullah

Scores: 23 v AFG, 28 v SL, 62 v SCO, 103 v ENG, 128* v NZ, 21 v IND (quarters).Total Runs: 365. Average: 73.00.

While Bangladesh have quite a few dashing batsmen and proven match-winners, it was the unassumming Mahmudullah who out-shined of his colleagues with a brilliant showing in the World Cup that saw him finish as Bangladesh's highest run-scorer. A half-century against Scotland, followed by back-to-back centuries, Mahmudullah was Bangladesh's unstoppable force as they made it to the knock-outs for the first time. Both his centuries came against quality teams with his ton against England proving to be the most crucial knock.

Daniel Vettori

Bowling figures: 2/34 v SL, 3/24 v SCO, 1/19 v ENG, 2/41 v AUS, 4/18 v AFG, 1/42 v BAN, 2/58 v WI (quarters), 0/46 v SA (semis), 0/25 v AUS (final).Total wickets: 15. Average: 20.46. Economy: 4.04.

There was no doubt that this was going to be his last World Cup, but Daniel Vettori made sure that he was going to bid adieu on a positive note. Vettori had struggled with his fitness and took a break of more than a year from the 50-over format. However, New Zealand's best spinner was ready to take on the world come the mega event. The best thing about his bowling was that as a spinner he managed to keep opposition batsmen quiet for most part of the event despite playing on small grounds in the country where batsmen were having a feast. He played a big role in New Zealand's unbeaten run in the group phase, picking up 13 wickets from six matches at an average of 13.69, strike-rate of 25.5 and economy of 3.21. While he was not as effective in the knock-out games, it was a successful World Cup overall for New Zealand's highest wicket-taker in ODIs, who bowed out on a high.

Mitchell Starc

Bowling figures: 2/47 v ENG, 6/28 v NZ, 2/18 v AFG, 2/29 v SL, 4/14 v SCO, 2/40 v PAK (quarters), 2/28 v IND (semis), 2/20 v NZ (final).Total wickets: 22. Average: 10.18. Economy: 3.50.

While Australia had Mitchell Johnson as their premium pacer, it was Mitchell Starc who was the wrecker-in-chief for most part of their campaign. The left-arm pacer was at his lethal best in the World Cup and was rewarded for his efforts as he finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker and also bagged the Player of the Match award. Be it delivering early strikes, picking up wickets in the middle overs or restricting oppositions at the death, Starc carried out the roles assigned to him with ease. His best performances came against New Zealand in the group stage and India in the semi-final. Even in the final, it was Starc striking in the first over to get rid of Brendon McCullum that put New Zealand on the back-foot straight away, and they could never get back on track.

Mohammad Shami

Bowling figures: 4/35 v PAK, 2/30 v SA, 3/35 v WI, 3/41 v IRE, 3/48 v ZIM, 2/37 v BAN (quarters), 0/68 v AUS (semis).Total wickets: 17. Average: 17.29. Economy: 4.81.

India's remarkable turnaround after a disappointing summer in Australia was possible mainly because Mohammed Shami also changed his fortunes completely to handle the strike bowler's duties with panache. Be it bowling the bouncers, operating around the channel outside off or cramping the batsmen for room, Shami was at his best and it was his consistency that was one of the main reasons for India's successful run in the World Cup, until they met Australia. SHami never had an off-day in India's seven-match unbeaten streak and Dhoni's men were a happy bunch hopping from one venue to another. However, Shami's only bad performance came in the semi-final against the formidable Aussies, which meant that India's high-flying outing came to an end too.

Trent Boult

Bowling figures: 2/64 v SL, 2/21 v SCO, 5/27 v AUS, 3/34 v AFG, 2/56 v BAN, 4/44 v WI (quarters), 2/53 v SA (semis), 1/40 v AUS (final).Total wickets: 22. Average: 16.86. Economy: 4.36.

Watch out for thunderbolts was the warning sign for batsmen from around the world coming to play against New Zealand as Trent Bolt wreaked havoc and played in important role in New Zealand's most successful World Cup till date. With his lethal pace and a good measure of swing to go with it, Boult was New Zealand's key weapon. While he did leak runs on a few occasions, he also provided timely strikes and important scalps at that, which made New Zealand's job all the more easier. In what was the World Cup for left-arm pacemen, Boult finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker along with Starc, and had it not been for the Black Caps' below-par showing in the final, he may well have usurped the Man of the Tournament award as well.

Imran Tahir

Bowling figures: 3/36 v ZIM, 1/48 v IND, 5/45 v WI, 0/50 v IRE, 1/38 v PAK, 1/40 v UAE, 4/26 v SL (quarters), 0/40 v NZ (semis).Total wickets: 15. Average: 21.53. Economy: 4.23.

Some called it batsmen's tournament while some termed it as fast bowlers' event to remember. However, spinners too played a key role and the best of the lot was Imran Tahir, who was terrific with the ball. Variations are Tahir's forte and he put that to good use as he contributed to South Africa's progress. That he picked up a four-wicket haul against the Sri Lankans, who play spin well, shows the class of Tahir, who finished as the leading spinner of the World Cup along with Dan Vettori.

Bench: Brendon McCullum, Brendan Taylor, R Ashwin, Wahab Riaz

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum gave his team rousing starts and also led brilliantly throughout the tournament, and it was a tough choice to leave him out from the main eleven. Brendan Taylor, who possibly played the last time in Zimbabwe colours was superb throughout the tournament as well, and had he received some support from the rest of his team-mates, the African side could have made better progress. R Ashwin was a transformed player in the tournament and did a superb job with the ball for India, while Wahab Riaz was definitely Pakistan's best pacer - Shane Watson would vouch for that.

Coach: Darren Lehmann

Australia was a team in disarray in 2013, having lost the Ashes to England while they hardly made their presence felt in the limited overs format as well. Along came Darren Lehmann and he turned the fortunes of the side completely, and was one of the important reasons for Australia becoming an unstoppable force as they were in the past.