Long after the winners are crowned, the 2015 World Cup will be best remembered for a contest heavily dominated by the batsmen.
We’ve seen records tumble: Chris Gayle’s World Cup batting record of 215 (147 balls) against Zimbabwe and South Africa’s AB de Villiers record for the fastest One Day 150 from 64 balls. We’ve seen Australia assemble a World Cup record score of 6-417 against Afghanistan, which resulted in a 275-run win – the margin was also a World Cup record.
Here’s some more evidence: we’ve seen 35 centuries by 28 players from 13 countries. It’s been a batters tournament helped by flat, lifeless batting wickets, batting technology that has surpassed bowling innovation, fielding restrictions and small postage stamp sized grounds in some parts of Australia and New Zealand.
As we enter the cutthroat part of the World Cup, New Zealand takes with them a sanguine 6-0 record that included a tight win over favourites Australia. The reigning World Cup champions India put a winless Australian Summer behind them and also went through 6-0 ready to defend their title.
The World Cup has, at times, appeared sluggish with copious amounts of futile matches. Fans will breathe a sigh of relief on Wednesday as the 42-match tournament enters the knockout quarterfinal stage when an in-form Sri Lanka will square off against a brash South African side.
Here are eight match-winning players who could win a World Cup for their team.
Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka
The prolific run machine has once again piled on big scores on the world stage. The left-hander leads the tournament with 496 runs including four consecutive centuries: 124, 104, 117*, 105*.
This rich run of World Cup form has continued on from 2011 (465 runs) and 2007 (350 runs). The 37-year old will be looking to go deep into March in what will be his last World Cup appearance. The batsmen-wicket keeper’s graceful and elegant front foot hitting has earned him the most World Cup fours (54) and his stunning average (124) makes him first picked in the World Cup all-star team.
AB de Villiers, South Africa
The South African captain has become your typical modern-day one-man juggernaut, armed with fearless stroke play, remarkable patience and a mixed bag of trick shots making it increasingly difficult to devise a game plan to get him out.
His World Cup has been impressive with 417 runs — the third most at the tournament — and his ability to create and at times invent strokes no one has seen before is one of his key strengths. A quick scorer (fourth highest strike rate at the World Cup) and mammoth hitter (most sixes at the World Cup with 20) South Africa could actually win the World Cup off his own bat.
Mohammed Shami, India
Before the World Cup, India arrived with a dangerous batting lineup but had to figure out how they were going to take wickets with what appeared to be a considerably feeble bowling attack that lacked venom. Enter Mohammed Shami.
The deadly accurate seam bowler has taken 15 World Cup wickets, the second most, and is operating with dash and poise. He’s been one of the few Indian bowlers that can consistently move the new and old ball. He took 4-35 against Pakistan and grabbed bags of three wickets in his last few outings. If India is going to go back-to-back, they will need Shami to continue his excellent World Cup form.
Mitchell Starc, Australia
Australia’s best front-line bowler, the beanstalk left-armer Starc has now taken the most wickets at the tournament (16). His 6-28 against New Zealand would have frightened his opponents when he ripped through the Black Caps in a devastating display of rapid and full-pitched bowling that almost won Australia the game.
Not many teams have a bowler that can swing the ball at 150 km per hour and Starc looks like he’s only getting better as the tournament continues. The World Cup has been a batsmen’s paradise, so having a spearhead bowler sending down thunderbolts in conditions more conducive to batting is the key for victory.
The 25 year-old finished the group stages with a clinical 4-14 against Scotland and is primed to set Australia up for a crack at its fifth World Cup.
Brendon McCullum, New Zealand
The one thing you need to know about McCullum is that he scores his runs hastily without too much fuss through some fanciful shots. The briskness of his batting usually sets up a launching pad for the rest of the New Zealand batting innings. He’s made a string of half centuries and 257 runs at the World Cup in nimble fashion and has made most bowling attacks look middling. If New Zealand is to win this World Cup, he’ll need to continue making runs at a good gallop. You get the feeling he has a big score coming, the kind of score that comes attached with a new world record.
Shahid Afridi, Pakistan:
The flashy all-rounder has fizzled at the World Cup with two wickets and 93 runs from six outings — hardly match-winning statistics. What should concern Australia during their quarterfinal bout is that Afridi is a ticking time bomb. He could rupture with bat or ball at any moment.
The guy they call “Boom Boom” has 397 games under his belt and is capable of shredding apart elite bowling attacks chipping in with crucial wickets. At the 2011 World Cup he took 21 wickets and also owns three of quickest hundreds in One Day cricket; his 37-ball century in 1996 is the third quickest in history.
Although Pakistan is a long shot to win the World Cup from here he’ll need to locate his flare real quick if it wishes to contest for the final. Afridi brings diversity, resilience and a serious x-factor. His batting can only be described as kamikaze and his bowling, when on, is mercurial.
Mohammad Mahmudullah, Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s top-order bat Mahmudullah has produced 344 runs that has catapulted the Tigers into the quarterfinals for the first time ever. His last few scores – 128*, 103 and 62 — suggest he’s peaking at the right time.
The short-game specialist can also bowl a tidy off-spin, but has only captured one wicket in the past five games. Mahmudullah’s high scores have come against top-tier countries like New Zealand and England, through lusty straight hitting and haughty cover drives. Hes owns the third-best average at the World Cup (86.0) and is already a proven match winner (his 103 against England booked Bangladesh the quarterfinal berth against India). He’s flying under the radar and could make history by launching Bangladesh deep into March.
Chris Gayle, West Indies
The left-handed opening batsmen proved against Zimbabwe when he made a World Cup record 215 from 147 balls. Further proof that when he’s in “Gaylestorm mode” he’s unstoppable.
The West Indian brute has only one gear and it’s set to full throttle. This also means he’s susceptible to making a lot of low scores. He tried to fix his game by batting slower and not playing at every ball early in his innings to give himself longevity, but all that did was slow his game down.
His game is to swing and swing hard and if it comes off, the West Indies usually win. He will enjoy the small Wellington ground against New Zealand and will be looking to add to his 279 runs and 18 World Cup sixes.