2011 ICC Cricket World Cup: Top 5 Batsmen To Look Out For

Cricket Update from the iSport Cricket Pavillion: iSporter Jigar Mehta tells us the top 5 batsmen to watch out for in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

1) Sachin Tendulkar (India): This genius is an automatic qualification in this list. After 21 long years in International cricket the only thing missing from his resume is a World Cup win.

Since 2010 he played only four ODI'S and scored 235 runs which included the historic double century. But his records in the biggest tournament are mind boggling, this time around he will be playing in his sixth World Cup and this master batsman has already amassed 1796 runs from 36 World Cup matches at a staggering average of 57.93 with four centuries and 13 half centuries at a strike rate of 88.21. On the Asian soil he averages 46.96 with 11,413 runs from 276 matches (35 centuries). He is the highest run getter in the World Cups and was the Man of the Series in the last edition of the tournament. With the form he is in, this master batsman can tear apart any attack and win it for his country.

All hopes will be on this genius to deliver and he is surely a batsman to watch out for this World Cup!

2) Hashim Amla: (South Africa): Though he has not been a part of any World Cups till date, his staggering form in the ODI'S has helped him make the list of top 5.

His technique and his calmness in the middle sets him apart from most of the rest.

He was the highest run getter in the ODI'S in 2010 and in last 20 matches he has amassed 1308 runs including six centuries.

What's more dangerous is that he averages 62.42 from 10 matches in the Asian Subcontinent.

The South African fans will be hoping that this man delivers at the top of the order and help them remove the chokers tag that has been haunting the South African cricket team for years!

3) Kumar Sangakkara: (Sri Lanka): The captain of the Lankan cricket team has been leading from the front with his consistent performances all these years. His ability to rotate strike and hitting big shots when it matters sets him apart from the other batsmen. This elegant left-hander has been following the footsteps of greats like Arjuna Ranatunga and Asanka Gurusinha.

The most impressive thing about him is that he has not let the burden of captaincy affect his form as he has scored 1216 runs in 35 matches as a captain at an average of 39.22 which is better than his overall career average.

Last year he averaged 48.40 from 17 matches scoring 726 runs. He has scored 9 out of his 19 centuries in the Asian Subcontinent and in World Cup he averages 30.94 from 21 matches scoring 526 runs, but with the kind of temperament this player possesses and his current form, this average is certainly going to get better in the coming World Cup!

4) Eoin Morgan (England): The present era has dawned with several promising youngsters coming onto the scene and one of the names among them is Eoin Morgan. This left-hander from England has a really cool and steady head capable of handling pressure, a clever cricketing brain and has every stroke in his armoury.  There is one thing that separates him from other cricketers and that is the innovation he brings to the game. His paddle shots and his reverse sweeps are a treat to watch for any cricket fan. His innovative reverse sweep to a fast bowler is something which is simply unthinkable of! 

He has been termed as a finisher, a character most important in One-day international cricket and has been performing consistently as he averaged 53.15 from 17 matches scoring 691 runs with three centuries and two half-centuries last year.

His performances on the Asian shores are all the more impressive as he averages 46 from six matches.

England has been devoid of a finisher after the retirements of Neil Fairbrother and Graham Thorpe. This cricketer has the talent to imitate what these legends had done for their country for years and win the World Cup for England this time around!

5) Virat Kohli (India): This young sensation has set the cricketing stage on fire recently with his spectacular performances with the bat. He was the second highest run getter last season with 995 runs from 25 matches at an average of 47.38 and this year he has already amassed 193 runs from five matches at an average of 48.25.

He averages 45.03 on the Asian soil and all of his centuries have been scored in the Asian territory.

He will make his World Cup Debut this time around but will carry with him great experiences of Under-19 World cup as he was second Indian U-19 captain to win the tournament.   

Off-late this 22-year old has matured a lot and has developed the ability to convert his fifties into hundreds.

Confident and aggressive are the two main adjectives that define this young talent.

Possession of all these qualities at such a tender age and his ability to deliver in crunch situations helps him enter the top five batsmen to look out for in World Cup 2011