No Pakistani players included as Matthew Hayden, Anil Kumble name their World Cup 2023 XI

With the semi-final picture clear, former players and legends of the game, Anil Kumble and Matthew Hayden found this to be the ideal time to pick their best XI of the team. As the tournament has been dominated by Team India, names from the blue brigade were certain to make it into their side. Aside from Indians, there was room for some South Africans, Australians and Kiwis as well, however, no player from Pakistan could qualify and neither from England.

3 things you need to know

• The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 has reached the semi-final stage
• Team India will take on New Zealand in the first semi-final
• South Africa and Australia will square off in semi-final 2

Anil Kumble and Matthew Hayden forms best XI of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023

With the tournament reaching its final phase, the time has come to gauge and highlight the standout performers of the competition. Each time just before the end of the World Cup, experts look into their notes and point out who they deem as the best performers and accordingly form an XI of the sort. Anil Kumble and Matthew Hayden have set the ball rolling on the subject this time and through an ESPNcricinfo segment, they named the their respective best XI of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

For the openers' spots, the two went unanimous with Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma. "QDK for me has been the standout player. Rohit Sharma for obvious reasons. Those two inside the powerplay have been dynamic," said Hayden.

Both De Kock and Sharma have over 500 runs in the tournament thus making them the undisputed holders of the opening position, "If I had to put my life on two players getting runs in this World Cup. They are my number one and number two," he further added.

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Names Virat Kohli and Rachin Ravindra as the ideal number 3 and 4

Following the no debate on openers, the two agreed on their number 3 and number 4 as well. According to them, the breakout star of the tournament, Rachin Ravindra, could bat at number 3 or 4, and Virat Kohli comes as the undisputed name for these positions as well.  

"He is certainly the breakout young player of this World Cup. I am sure I would certainly go for Rachin Ravindra, whether you put him at no. 3 or no. 4, it doesn't matter. He has been batting at 1, 2, 3, 4, you can put him wherever. Virat Kohli, for sure. Yes, he has batter no. 3 for India. So if he bats no. 3, Rachin Ravindra bats no. 4. If Ravindra bats no. 3, we can use the right-left combination. It is very difficult to pick in a World Cup, your two choices," explained Kumble.

Big Show gets acclamation

Glenn Maxwell played arguably the greatest ever ODI knock when he scored 201 from the state when Australia were 91/7 against Afghanistan. Maxwell makes it into the Kumble and Hayden XI for his exceptional innings. Besides Maxwell, they brought in South African Heinrich Klaasen for the explosive batting he has showcased in the World Cup.

"Maxwell and Klaasen for me. The reason why, when you look at those stats again, I am going on strike rate, I am going on who is going to be under pressure. I mean they are the real heads of both Australia and South Africa's batting efforts with spin in particular. Strike rate of Maxwell is off the Richter scale, it's not even 150, it's 180. Klaasen for the same reason as well, that is an enormous strike rate," said.

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Shami-Bumrah show

When it comes to match-winners with the ball, Kumble and Hayden picked Ravindra Jadeja, Marco Jansen, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Adam Zampa respectively. Shami has been in an ominous form ever since he made it to the playing XI, while Zampa has been incredible as he is currently the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 22 scalps.

Kumble and Hayden's World Cup XI: Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Maxwell, Heinrich Klaasen, Ravindra Jadeja, Marco Jansen, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Adam Zampa