CWC 2019 Flashback: Sachin Tendulkar’s World Cup XI
On 14th July 2019, England won their maiden ODI World Cup. After 48 gruelling matches, the English team lifted the glittering trophy in front of their home crowd. England and New Zealand played out the final at Lord’s while India and Australia were the two semi-finalists from the 10-team tournament. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar who observed the competition from close quarters had named his team of the tournament. Let’s take a look at the XI he picked.
Openers
One of the greatest ODI openers ever chose India’s Rohit Sharma and England’s Jonny Bairstow to open the innings. Rohit smashed five centuries in the World Cup and with 648 runs from nine matches finished as the highest run-getter of this edition. Bairstow was influential in providing quick-starts. He scored two centuries and two fifties in the tournament. He was also chosen as the wicketkeeper of the team.
Number three
Sachin appointed New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson to bat at number three. Williamson finished the campaign with 578 runs from nine innings. He was the lone warrior for his side on most occasions. His captaincy was lauded at various junctures which also made him the captain of this team.
Middle-order and all-rounders
The man who struck five consecutive World Cup fifties, Virat Kohli, took the number four spot. Although the world’s number one batsman did not score a ton, he averaged 55 with the bat. Bangladesh’s star performer Shakib Al Hasan (606 runs, 11 wickets) captured the number five slot. Hasan will be followed by two seam all-rounders in England’s Ben Stokes (Player of the Final) and India’s Hardik Pandya. The spin attack is led by India’s Ravindra Jadeja. The left-arm spinner played a brave knock in the semi-final and was the best fielder of the tournament.
Pace battery
Sachin’s team is spearheaded by three outstanding pace bowlers. The leading wicket-taker of the competition – Australia’s Mitchell Starc (27 wickets) is the first of three. India’s Jasprit Bumrah will accompany him alongside World Cup winner Jofra Archer.
Sachin’s World Cup XI
Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Kane Williamson (captain), Virat Kohli, Shakib Al Hasan, Ben Stokes, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer.
