After a month of enthralling action, Sport360 looks back at the highs and lows of the Cricket World Cup 2015 group stages. Here, we examine the star men with the bat.
After a month of enthralling action, Sport360 looks back at the highs and lows of the Cricket World Cup 2015 group stages. Here, we examine the star men with the bat.
1 / 5
Kumar Sangakkara - Matches: 6 Innings: 6 Not out: 2 Runs: 496 Highest: 124 Average: 124 Strike rate: 119.51 Boundaries: 54x4, 7x6. If you make four centuries on the trot in a CWC, you deserve the pride of a spot in this list. To think that the 37-year-old is planning to retire from ODIs after the tournament! Just seems insane considering how well he is batting right now. Our favourite knock has to be the 104 against Australia.
2 / 5
Shikhar Dhawan - Matches: 6 Innings: 6 Not out: 0 Runs: 337 Highest: 137 Average: 56.13 Strike rate: 94.13 Boundaries: 39x4, 8x6. Massively struggling with the bat before the start of the World Cup, the Indian opener turned around his form in stunning style. Provided India the early momentum with two wonderful knocks – a 73 against Pakistan, but more importantly, a blistering 137 against South Africa on a fast and bouncy Melbourne Cricket Ground track, that set up India’s big 130-run win.
3 / 5
Brendan Taylor - Matches: 6 Innings: 6 Not out: 0 Runs: 433 Highest: 138 Average: 72.16 Strike rate: 106.91 Boundaries: 43x4, 12x6. It's been emotional for the Zimbabwean skipper, who was quitting his international career with the country of his birth and going Kolpak to play for Nottinghamshire. And the 29-year-old scripted a stunning farewell, making two centuries in his last two matches – including an outstanding 138 in the match against India where he toyed with their spinners.
4 / 5
AB de Villiers - Matches: 6 Innings: 6 Not out: 1 Runs: 417 Highest: 162* Average: 83.4 Strike rate: 144.29 Boundaries: 35x4, 20x6 For someone who already has the fastest 50 and 100 in ODIs, it seemed natural he would also score the fastest 150. And AB de Villiers did that in style when he hammered the West Indies bowling en route to 162 not out in 66 balls. The 31-year-old Proteas skipper missed out on a second century when he was dismissed for 99 against the UAE.
5 / 5
Mohammad Mahmudullah - Matches: 6 Innings: 6 Not out: 1 Runs: 334 Highest: 128* Average: 86 Strike rate: 82.89 Boundaries: 28x4, 6x6 In 113 ODIs. Mahmudullah could not make a single century, and then, he got two in his last two matches for Bangladesh – a most crucial 103 against England, followed by an extremely enterprising and gutsy 128 not out against the lethal bowling attack of New Zealand. Bangladesh will hope he carries on his form if they want to upset India and reach the semis.
