An in-depth look at the top eight teams and associate nations ahead of the World Cup
World Cup countdown: the ultimate form guide
The World Cup is almost here. In fact, the next one-day international played will be the tournament opener on February 14.
The world’s top eight teams have been busy fine-tuning their preparations in ODI series across Australia, New Zealand and South Africa during the past six weeks.
For some teams, there is plenty to feel good about heading into cricket’s biggest tournament. For others, there are some worries.
Find out who has been performing in the cricket.com.au World Cup form guide:
AUSTRALIA
What they did in January and February: Won the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series against England and India
Results: January 16: Defeated England by three wickets, Sydney
January 18: Defeated India by four wickets, Melbourne
January 23: Defeated England by three wickets, Hobart
January 26: Match abandoned v India, Sydney
February 1: Defeated England by 112 runs, Perth
Australia will enter ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 on top of the ICC ODI rankings following their tri-series win. They currently hold a six-point lead over second-placed India. There were plenty of strong individual performances for Australia throughout the tri-series, standing them in good stead for the World Cup.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Warner kicked off Australia's tri-series in style
David Warner: 127 runs off 115 balls (January 16 v England)
Warner was dominant scoring his century in the opening match and finished the series with 23 boundaries from three innings, scores of 127, 24 and 12, and a strike rate of 105.16 for the tournament.
Aaron Finch: 96 off 127 (January 18 v India)
The Victorian was excellent at the MCG, scoring 96 as he steered Australia to a dominant position in their run chase. He finished the tri-series with scores of 15, 96, 32 and 0.
Mitchell Starc: 4-42 off 8.5 overs (January 16 v England); 6-43 off 10 (January 18 v India)
Starc was a stand-out for Australia and was rightly named man of the series after a string of excellent performances, moving to seventh in the ODI bowling rankings at the same time.
Steve Smith: 102* off 95 (January 23 v England)
Smith’s summer of runs continued in a series featuring scores of 37, 47, 102* and 40. The batsman added a century on his ODI captaincy debut to the one he made while in charge of the Test team for the first time earlier this summer.
Brad Haddin: 42 off 29 (January 23 v England)
When Australia’s run chase was starting to look shaky in the second match against England, the experience of Haddin shone through.
Glenn Maxwell: 95 off 98 and 4-46 (February 1 v England)
Maxwell’s innings in the final was his highest ODI score to date and he followed it up with a career-best showing with the ball and a brilliant diving catch at backward point. Maxwell then moved up 19 places to the 17th spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings.
Mitchell Johnson: 3-27 off 7 (February 1 v England)
After being rested for the preliminary matches, Johnson looked fresh from the break in the final and finished with three wickets.
Mitchell Marsh: 60 off 68 (February 1 v England)
Marsh combined with Maxwell to steer Australia into a strong position in the final. He also bowled tightly with figures of 0-18 from seven overs.
James Faulkner: 50 off 24 (February 1 v England)
Faulkner’s big hitting in the final was the icing on the cake for Australia. The allrounder suffered side soreness while bowling and Australia will desperately hope he is fit for the majority of the World Cup. Faulkner moved to a career-high 21st in the ODI batting rankings after the series.
INDIA
What they did in January and February: Finished on the bottom of the ladder in the ODI tri-series against Australia and England and have yet to win a match since arriving Down Under in November.
Results: January 18: Lost to Australia by four wickets, Melbourne
January 20: Lost to England by nine wickets, Brisbane
January 26: Match abandoned v Australia, Sydney
January 30: Lost to England by three wickets, Perth
India were extremely disappointing in the tri-series, particularly in the manner of their defeats. With some injury and form worries, the reigning 2011 champions have some work to do if they are to defend their title. Usually dominant batsmen Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni had quiet series.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Raina made a brilliant century at the MCG
Rohit Sharma: 138 off 139 (January 18 v Australia)
India opener Rohit Sharma scored the highest one-day international score between Australia and India at the MCG.
Suresh Raina: 51 off 63 (January 18 v Australia)
Suresh Raina provided crucial support to Sharma at the MCG, returning to form after a disappointing performance in the Sydney Test.
Ajinkya Rahane: 73 off 101 (January 30 v England)
Was the best of India’s batsmen in an innings where the batsmen struggled to score freely, an important fifty as his team was bowled out for 200.
Stuart Binny: 3-33 off 8 (January 30 v England)
The best of India’s bowlers in the Perth match, taking three wickets including Joe Root, Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan.
SOUTH AFRICA
What they did in January: Won their ODI series against West Indies 4-1
Results: January 16: Defeated West Indies by 61 runs, Durban
January 18: Defeated West Indies by 148 runs, Johannesburg
January 21: Defeated West Indies by nine wickets, East London
January 25: Lost to West Indies by one wicket, Port Elizabeth
January 28: Defeated West Indies by 131 runs, Centurion
South Africa were just far too good on their home soil for West Indies in an ominous show of form heading into the World Cup. They will enter the tournament as the third-ranked nation but with the two top-ranked batsmen in AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Ab de Villiers: 81 from 94 (January 16); 149 from 44 (January 18)
Hot. Hotter than hot. What more needs to be said of the South Africa captain’s exquisite form? He scored the fastest one-day century in history, with a record-equalling 16 sixes to boot.
Hashim Amla: 66 from 66 (January 16); 153* from 142 (January 18); 61* from 63 (January 21); 133 from 105 (January 28)
With all the hype from de Villiers’ record innings, it would almost have been easy to forget Amla’s form. He blazed his way through the series, scoring two centuries and two fifties.
Rilee Rossouw: 128 from 115 (January 18); 132 from 98 (January 28)
The third century maker in South Africa’s massive second-match total of 439, Rossouw scored his first two ODI tons during the series.
Dale Steyn: 3-27 from 5.2 (January 16)
In a series largely dominated by the batsman, Dale Steyn produced a solid performance in the first ODI.
Faf du Plessis: 51 off 71 (January 21)
The batsman joined in his teammates’ runs-fest in the third match as his team chased the Windies’ total with ease.
Imran Tahir: 4-28 off 7.4 (January 21)
The leg-spinner secured a career-best haul in the third ODI, playing a major role in dismissing West Indies for a disappointing 122.
Vernon Philander: 3-27 from 8 (January 21)
He earned man-of-the-match accolades in the third ODI and took two wickets in the first two overs.
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Miller scored his maiden ODI century against West Indies // Getty Images
David Miller: 130 from 133 (January 25)
South Africa’s standout in the fourth ODI defeat. His big century was the only score above 50 and helped the Proteas to a respectable total of 8-262.
Wayne Parnell: 4-42 off 9 (January 28)
The allrounder only played two ODIs during the series but was impressive in his second appearance when he collected the second ODI four-wicket haul of his career.
SRI LANKA
What they did in January and February: Lost the ODI series against New Zealand 2-4.
Results: January 11: Lost to New Zealand by three wickets, Christchurch
January 15: Defeated New Zealand by six wickets, Hamilton
January 17: Match abandoned, Auckland
January 20: Lost to New Zealand by four wickets, Nelson
January 23: Lost to New Zealand by 108 runs, Dunedin
January 25: Lost to New Zealand by 120 runs, Dunedin
January 29: Defeated New Zealand by 34 runs, Wellington
Sri Lanka would be disappointed with the series against New Zealand, winning only two matches out of six, but would be happy with the win in Wellington, where they play England on March 1.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Mahela Jayawardene: 104 off 107 (January 11); 94 off 82 (January 20)
Jayawardene showed why he will again be a crucial part of Sri Lanka’s World Cup plans throughout the series with two big knocks.
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Dilshan remains a huge threat opening the innings // Getty Images
Tillakaratne Dilshan: 116 from 127 (January 15); 81 off 98 (January 29)
He was man of the match in the second ODI thanks to his century and impressed against later in the series.
Kumar Sangakkara: 76 from 83 (January 20); 81 off 66 (January 25); 113* off 105 (January 31)
The Sri Lankan superstar scored four and 38 in the first two ODIs but was increasingly impressive as the series wore on.
Shaminda Eranga: 2-34 from 9 (January 29)
Was the best of the Sri Lanka bowlers in the victorious seventh ODI.
ENGLAND
What they did in January and February: Finished second in the ODI tri-series v Australia and India
Results: January 16: Lost to Australia by three wickets, Sydney
January 20: Defeated India by nine wickets, Brisbane
January 23: Lost to Australia by three wickets, Hobart
January 30: Defeated India by three wickets, Perth
February 1: Lost to Australia by 112 runs, Perth
England’s tri-series produced a mixed bag. They were dominant over India and produced some excellent performances, but struggled against Australia and were particularly disappointing against Australia’s pacemen in Perth.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Eoin Morgan: 121 off 136 (January 16 v Australia)
Captain Morgan scored his first hundred as full-time ODI skipper to help England recover from a horror start against Australia. His century gave his bowlers a respectable total to bowl to.
Chris Woakes: 4-40 off 8 (January 16 v Australia)
Was the best of the England bowlers, but his wickets came when the game was lost and Australia were racing to secure the bonus point.
Steven Finn: 5-33 off 8 (January 20 v India); 3- 36 off 10 (January 30 v India)
Finn was outstanding in England’s bonus-point win over India. He claimed his maiden ODI five-wicket haul and at one point was on a hat-trick. Was good again with the ball against India in Perth. His 11 wickets for 235 in five matches saw him progress 14 places to 12th in the rankings.
James Anderson: 4-18 off 8.3 (January 20 v India); 1-24 off 6 (January 30 v India)
Fit again, England’s spearhead bowler will be crucial to his team’s World Cup hopes and he was particularly miserly in Brisbane and Perth against India. He moved to fourth on the ODI rankings at the end of the series.
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Bell is now England's all-time leading ODI run-scorer // Getty Images
Ian Bell: 88* off 91 (January 20 v India); 141 off 125 (January 23 v Australia)
A standout for England on two occasions, Bell signalled he will be a batsman to fear come the World Cup, vaulting 13 places to 25th in the ODI rankings while he was at it.
James Taylor: 56* off 63 (January 20 v India) ; 82 off 122 (January 30 v India)
Deserves a mention for his unbeaten fifty against India, part of an unbroken 131-run second wicket stand with Bell, and was also good in what was essentially a semi-final against India in Perth.
Jos Buttler: 67 off 78 (January 30 v India)
Combined with Taylor in a 125-run partnership that steered England to victory over India in the Perth encounter.
Joe Root: 69 off 70 (January 23 v Australia)
England’s other standout in the Hobart game dominated by the batsmen. Root’s snappy innings helped the visitors reach 8-303 off their 50 overs.
NEW ZEALAND
What they did in January and February: Won the ODI series against Sri Lanka 4-2, then defeated Pakistan 2-0.
Results: January 11: Defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets, Christchurch
January 15: Lost to Sri Lanka by six wickets, Hamilton
January 17: Match abandoned, Auckland
January 20: Defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets, Nelson
January 23: Defeated Sri Lanka by 108 runs, Dunedin
January 25: Defeated Sri Lanka by 120 runs, Dunedin
January 29: Lost to Sri Lanka by 34 runs, Wellington
January 31: Defeated Pakistan by seven wickets, Wellington
February 3: Defeated Pakistan by 119 runs, Napier
After a year that was light on the ODI contests, New Zealand certainly made up for it in the lead-up to the World Cup, with a packed schedule of matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The Black Caps would be even more pleased with their form, which saw most of their key players firing. There’s plenty for New Zealand fans to be excited about heading into the World Cup.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Brendan McCullum: 51 off 22 (January 11); 117 off 99 (January 15)
The Black Caps captain has continued his excellent run of form in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting with a fifty in the first match and a ton in the second.
Mitchell McClenaghan: 4-36 off 10 (January 11)
Paceman McClenaghan was the standout bowler in the first ODI and finished the series with 10 wickets.
Corey Anderson: 81 off 96 (January 11); 4-52 off 10 and 40 off 28 (January 25)
Anderson was impressive in the first ODI with a man-of-the-match performance, but went cheaply in the second, for five runs, and scored 47 from 44 before being run out in the fourth. Chipped in with the bat in the sixth ODI before tearing through the Sri Lanka batting line-up.
Kyle Mills: 2-29 off 10 (January 31)
Returned to the team for the January 25 match and impressed in the first match against Pakistan with a miserly performance.
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Williamson has emerged as one of the world's best batsmen // Getty Images
Kane Williamson: 103 from 107 (January 20); 97 from 95 (January 23); 54 off 83 (January 29); 112 off 88 (February 3)
The star batsman returned in fine form in the fourth ODI after missing the second with a shoulder injury, guiding the Black Caps to victory and named man of the match. He fell just short of another ton in the sixth match, scored another fifty and then topped off his excellent World Cup preparations with another century against Pakistan.
Luke Ronchi: 170* off 99 (January 23); 47 off 42 (January 29)
Wicketkeeper Ronchi slammed 24 runs off the 48th over to secure the win for New Zealand in the fourth ODI. He followed up with a massive ton when New Zealand was in serious trouble at 5-89, and continued his impressive series with 47 off 42 in final match against Sri Lanka. He then moved up 33 places to career-high 27th in the ODI rankings.
Grant Elliot: 104* from 96 (January 23); 64* off 68 and 3-26 off 4.3 overs (January 31)
Elliot needed runs to stake a claim on the starting XI and he did just that in Dunedin, combining with Ronchi in a record sixth-wicket partnership of 267. His performance showed why selectors placed their faith in the 35 year old by including him in the World Cup squad. He followed that performance with an elegant fifty in the first ODI against Pakistan.
Trent Boult: 4-44 off 10 overs (January 23)
He was the best of the Kiwi bowlers in the January 23 victory, while Grant Elliott, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan all picked up two apiece. He took a tidy 2-25 in the first ODI against Pakistan.
Ross Taylor: 96 off 102 (January 25); 59* off 81 (January 31); 102* off 70 (February 3)
He secured his first big score of the ODI series in the sixth match, helping New Zealand post a dominant 8-315. Taylor then combined with Elliot to produce a solid total for New Zealand in the first match against Pakistan, scoring his second ODI half-century of the summer.
Daniel Vettori: 1-41 off 10 (February 3)
He was miserly in the final ODI to be the most economical bowler in a match where the wickets were shared across the attack.
Martin Guptill: 66* off 78 (January 17); 70 off 88 (February 3)
Scored two half centuries across the two series, to signal himself as yet another in-form Black Cap.
PAKISTAN
What they did in January and February: Lost the ODI series against New Zealand score 0-2.
Results: January 31: Lost to New Zealand by seven wickets, Wellington
February 3: Lost to New Zealand by 119 runs, Napier
Pakistan’s pre-World Cup series was short and not very sweet. Two disappointing losses were compounded by news frontline pace bowler Junaid Khan has been ruled out of the World Cup after failing a fitness test on a thigh injury.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Shahid Afridi: 67 off 29 (January 31)
He was the standout against New Zealand in the first match, blasting an exciting innings.
Misbah-ul-Haq: 58 off 87 (January 31); 45 off 51 (February 3)
The captain was the other batsman to score above fifty in the first match and together veteran pair salvaged the tourists' faltering batting before they were bowled out for 210. He was one of only three batsmen to score above 13 in the second match.
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Pakistan will be relying on strong openings from Hafeez // Getty Images
Mohammad Hafeez: 86 off 89 (February 3)
His 86 helped Pakistan to a good start, but he did not receive enough support from his teammates to chase down the large New Zealand total.
Ahmed Shehzad: 55 off 62 (February 3)
Scored a fifty in the second ODI, combining with Hafeez for a 111-run opening stand.
Mohammad Irfan: 2-52 off 10 (February 3)
The towering paceman was the pick of the bowlers in the second ODI. It was a good performance from a bowler who will need to produce for Pakistan after Junaid Khan’s injury.
WEST INDIES
What they did in January: Lost the ODI series to South Africa 1-4
Results: January 16: Lost to South Africa by 61 runs, Durban
January 18: Lost to South Africa by 148 runs, Johannesburg
January 21: Lost to South Africa by nine wickets, East London
January 25: Defeated South Africa by one wicket, Port Elizabeth
January 28: Lost to South Africa by 131 runs, Centurion
Were outclassed by South Africa, but will take some confidence from the victory in the fourth ODI and individual highlights were mostly thanks to the batsmen. They will enter the World Cup as the eighth-ranked nation
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Dwayne Smith: 64 off 65 (January 18)
There have been few highlight for the Windies in the series so far, but in an otherwise ordinary second ODI, Darren Smith stood out.
Denesh Ramdin: 57 off 55 (January 18)
Ramdin was the other Windies batsman to impress in the second ODI defeat.
Marlon Samuels: 68 off 93 (January 25); 50 off 47 (January 28)
He was impressive in helping the Windies to their first win of the ODI series on January 25, top-scoring and following up with another fifty in the final match.
Andre Russell: 64* off 40 (January 25)
Russell’s performance earned him man-of-the-match honours in the fourth ODI. His form provided the Windies with a much-needed confidence boost ahead of the World Cup.
Darren Sammy: 51 off 52 (January 25)
The other West Indies batsman to produce a fifty in the one-wicket win. Sammy, Samuels and Russell saved the day for the Windies, who were 5-73 after 20.5 overs.
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Holder showed glimpses of his undoubted ability in South Africa // Getty Images
Jason Holder: 4-53 off 10 (January 25)
The West Indies captain was the standout with the ball in the fourth ODI when Sheldon Cottrell (2-39) provided support.
BANGLADESH (ranked No.9)
What they did last: Won an ODI series against Zimbabwe 5-0
Results:
November 21: Defeated Zimbabwe by 87 runs, Chittagong
November 23: Defeated Zimbabwe by 68 runs, Chittagong
November 26: Defeated Zimbabwe by 124 runs, Dhaka
November 28: Defeated Zimbabwe by 21 runs, Dhaka
December 1: Defeated Zimbabwe by five wickets, Dhaka
Outclassed Zimbabwe in all five matches on home turf in a performance that would have given the Bangladesh players confidence heading into the World Cup.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Shakib Al Hasan: 101 off 99 and 4-41 off 10 (November 21)
1-18 off 8 (November 23)
2-28 off 10 (November 28)
3-30 off 7 (December 1)
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The hopes of a cricket-mad nation rest with their star allrounder // Getty Images
Bangladesh’s superstar allrounder was a standout for the series, excelling with both bat and ball. He will be crucial to his team’s hopes of securing a quarter-finals berth at the World Cup.
Mushfiqur Rahim: 65 off 72 (November 21)
77 off 78 (November 28)
The wicketkeeper-batsman was in solid form throughout the series, producing fifties on two occasions.
Tamim Iqbal: 76 off 98 (November 23)
His fifty in the second ODI was his highlight of the series, while he produced scores of five, 10, 16 and 40 in the other matches.
Anamul Haque: 80 off 110 (November 23)
95 off 120 (November 26)
Led the way with the bat for Bangladesh on two occasions with match-winning innings.
Mashrafe Mortaza: 3-34 off 8 (November 23)
His performance in the second ODI was his highlight for the series but he picked up wickets consistently, finishing with nine from five matches.
Arafat Sunny: 4-29 off 9.5 (November 23)
4-27 off 8.5 (November 26)
The slow left-arm orthodox bowler was excellent in his three matches, picking up a total of 10 wickets.
Mohammad Mahmudullah: 82 off 112 (November 28)
51 off 55 (December 1)
He was in excellent form in the second half of the series and is a batsman with plenty of ability worth keeping an eye on in the World Cup.
Taijul Islam: 4-11 off 7 (December 1)
His hat-trick on debut made headlines around the world and it is safe to say a lot of eyes will be on this young bowler at the World Cup.
ZIMBABWE (ranked No.10)
What they did last: Lost an ODI series against Bangladesh 0-5
Results:
November 21: Lost to Bangladesh by 87 runs, Chittagong
November 23: Lost to Bangladesh by 68 runs, Chittagong
November 26: Lost to Bangladesh by 124 runs, Dhaka
November 28: Lost to Bangladesh by 21 runs, Dhaka
December 1: Lost to Bangladesh by five wickets, Dhaka
Zimbabwe struggled in the Bangladesh conditions, only coming close in the fourth ODI. They will hope the conditions in Australia and New Zealand are better suited to their players.
FORM HIGHLIGHTS
Brendan Taylor: 54 off 72 (November 21)
63 off 69 (November 28)
The only batsman to score above 50 for Zimbabwe in the first ODI, Taylor was in the runs in two matches but more back-up was needed.
Hamilton Masakadza: 42 off 48 (November 21)
52 off 54 (December 1)
The Zimbabwe veteran is playing in his first Word Cup and was in decent form in several of Zimbabwe’s matches, providing runs when few others did.
Solomon Mire: 50 off 79 (November 23)
52 off 54 and 3-49 off 10 (November 28)
Mire was in excellent form with both bat and ball at times throughout the series and given the allrounder is familiar with Australian conditions – he has played club cricket in Melbourne – he will provide useful experience.
Tafadzwa Kamungozi: 2-38 off 10 (November 23)
The leg-spinner was the stand out bowler in Zimbabwe’s second ODI.
Elton Chigumbura: 53* off 46 (November 26)
The Zimbabwe skipper led the way in the third ODI, but his fifty was not enough to get his team over the line as it was bowled out for 173.
Tendai Chatara: 3-44 (10)
The paceman was Zimbabwe’s leading bowler in the final match but his form with the ball was not enough to stop Bangladesh cruising to an easy win.
ASSOCIATE WATCH
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates met Afghanistan in a four-match ODI series in November and December.
In a good sign for the Associate nation, it won the series 3-1.
BEST FORM FROM THAT SERIES:
Mohammad Shahzad: 62 off 59 and 79 off 97
Khurram Khan: 85 off 80 and 53 off 70
Rohan Mustafa: 2-33 off 10
Krishna Chandran: 3-45 off 9
Andri Berenger: 52 off 71 and 66 off 72
Amjad Ali: 67 off 79
Kamran Shazad: 3-45 off 10
Shaiman Anwar: 51 off 31
Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland.
The three met in six-match tri-series in Dubai between January 8 to 19.
Ireland finished top of the table, with three-wicket wins over both Afghanistan and Scotland.
Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 71 runs in their other encounter, and finished one apiece in their two matches against Scotland, before the final game between Scotland and Ireland was washed out.
AFGHANISTAN FORM:
Javed Ahmadi: Scored 81 from 89 balls and took 4-37 against Ireland and followed up with 74 from 81 against Scotland.
Najibullah Zadran: Scored 83 from 50 against Ireland.
Nasir Jamal: Scored 52 from 51 against Scotland.
IRELAND FORM:
George Dockrell: Took 4-35 against Afghanistan.
Ed Joyce: Scored 51 from 67 against Afghanistan.
Craig Young: Took 3-27 against Scotland.
Niall O’Brien: Scored 80 from 60 against Scotland.
SCOTLAND FORM:
Josh Davey: Took 6-48 and scored 53 from 48 against Afghanistan.
Iain Wardlaw: Took 4-22 against Afghanistan and 3-49 against Ireland.
Hamish Gardiner: Scored 96 from 105 against Afghanistan.
Matt Machan: Scored 86 from 120 against Ireland.