ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: One Player from each team who might be the leading run scorer

The 12th edition of Cricket's greatest spectacle- the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup is all set to kick-off on May 30th with the hosts England taking on South Africa at the Oval in London. Ten teams will be vying for the game's coveted title across eleven venues with the grand-finale which is slated for July 14th will be held at 'the home of Cricket' Lord's. The ten participating nations are Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Afganistan, India, and Pakistan.

In the round-robin format, all ten teams will play each other once with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals. Australia will begin its title defense against Afghanistan at Bristol on June 1st, while the 2011 champion India will encounter South Africa in its opening fixture at Southampton on June 5th. Let us take a look at one player from each team who might be the highest run-getter at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

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#1 David Warner (Australia)

David Warner

The defending champions, Australia had a forgettable outing especially in the ODIs last year managing just two wins out of the 13 matches they played. David Warner and Steven Smith's one year ban (due to their alleged involvement in the 'Sandpaper gate' ball tampering scandal) affected the morale of the team heavily as they suffered a 5-0 whitewash against England in June 2018. With the ban coming to an end, they will be eligible to resume playing for the Men in Yellow. Meanwhile, Warner who turned out for St. Lucia stars in the Caribbean Premier League made good contributions for his side.

Recently, he amassed back-to-back half-centuries in the Bangladesh Premier League for Sylhet Sixers (63 and 61*) before suffering an elbow injury that ruled him out. The southpaw looked in a good nick smashing 61 off just 36 balls. He is likely to return to return in 3-4 weeks and a short stint at the IPL might help him to get into the groove before the World Cup. Warner, who finished 2017 as the highest run-getter in the ODIs for Australia with 691 runs in 13 matches will be crucial to the five-time champion's fortunes at the 2019 World Cup.

#2 Jonny Bairstow (England)

Jonny Bairstow

Bairstow has been consistent at the top for England for quite some time, paving the perfect platform for their middle-order to take over. The 29-year-old finished 2018 as the third highest run-getter with 1025 runs in 22 matches at an average of 46.59 with his highest score being 139.

With two half-centuries and four centuries, Bairstow was one of the star performers for Eoin Morgan's men last year. With his current form and keeping in mind the ideal conditions during the World Cup, Bairstow is expected to continue his run with the bat for the hosts who are certainly one of the favorites for the World title this summer.

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#3 Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan)

Fakhar Zaman

Zaman became the first ever Pakistan batsman and eighth overall to score a double ton in the ODIs last year when he scored 210* against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo. The southpaw, who finished 2018 as Pakistan's highest run-getter with 875 runs in 17 matches at an average of 67.30, would love returning to England where he amassed 114 off 106 balls against India in the victorious 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final.

Since making his ODI debut in that tournament against South Africa, the 28-year-old has been a mainstay in the Pakistan XI- courtesy his exploits with the bat and might continue his excellent run in England this summer.

#4 Francois du Plessis (South Africa)

Faf du Plessis

AB de Villiers' retirement from International Cricket has certainly left a huge void in the Proteas line-up and it is the skipper Faf du Plessis who must take the responsibility of delivering with the bat at the 2019 World Cup.

Faf du Plessis, who amassed 905 runs in 19 matches in 2017, finished 2018 as South Africa's highest run-scorer in ODIs with 434 runs in eight matches at an average of 62.00, with his highest score being 125. With his experience and batting credentials, he is expected to deliver this year as well and strengthen the Proteas middle-order, especially with the World Cup fast approaching.

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#5 Ross Taylor (New Zealand)

Ross Taylor

The veteran batsman was recently named in the ICC's ODI Team of the Year 2018 for his exploits with the bat. Taylor amassed 639 runs in 11 matches last year that includes four half-centuries and two centuries at an average of 91.28, with his highest score being 181*.

A vital cog in the Blackcaps' batting line-up, the former Kiwi skipper was the fifth highest run-getter in the ODIs in 2017 having amassed 968 runs in 20 matches. Taylor, who will turn 35 on March 8th, is expected to maintain his consistency with the bat at the 2019 World Cup, which would probably be his last appearance in the quadrennial event.

#6 Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)

Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur is arguably one of the finest Bangladesh batsmen in recent years, contributing consistently with the bat apart from his glovework behind the stumps. On several occasions, the hard-hitter has sealed victories for Bangladesh through his sensible knocks. During the 2018 Asia Cup opener against Sri Lanka at the United Arab Emirates, the wicket-keeper batsman displayed his exceptional batting skills scoring 144 off 150 balls that included four sixes and eleven fours.

Apart from taking Bangladesh to the finals, he finished the tournament as the third highest run-scorer with 302 runs in five matches at an average of 60.40. If he unleashes his best at the World Cup, then his Nation might be well served.

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#7 Shai Hope (West Indies)

Shai Hope

2018 was a breakthrough year for Shai Hope, who made his ODI debut back in November 2016 against Zimbabwe. He emerged as the West Indies' highest run-getter amassing 875 runs in 18 matches at an average of 67.30, with his highest score being 146*. In the ODI series against India in October-November last year, Hope amassed 250 runs in the five-match series at an average of 62.50.

In a line-up comprising talented and experienced players like Shimron Hetmyer and Marlon Samuels, Hope exhibited class apart from providing stability to the Windies middle-order. Currently, at the 8th spot in the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, Hope might announce himself at the grandest stage of all this summer!

#8 Niroshan Dickwella (Sri Lanka)

Niroshan Dickwella

Dickwella, who made his ODI debut against India at Ranchi back in November 2014 finished 2018 as Sri Lanka's joint-highest run-getter in ODIs with 415 runs in 14 matches at an average of 34.58.

A consistent batsman at the top of the order, the southpaw amassed 826 runs in 2017 that included four half-centuries and two centuries. The 25-year-old, who was one of the top performers with the willow for the Island Nation at the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England scoring 121 runs in three matches is expected to continue his run-scoring spree at the 2019 World Cup.

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#9 Rahmat Shah (Afghanistan)

Rahmat Shah

The 25-year-old all-rounder who made his ODI debut against Scotland in March 2013 was one of the star performers with the bat in the 50-over format last year amassing 722 runs in 20 matches at an average of 38.00, with his highest score being 114.

Thereby, Shah who has so far played 53 ODIs finished 2018 as Afghanistan's highest run-getter. His role will be pivotal in strengthening the Afghanistan middle-order and the Asian nation will be hoping that their star performer delivers at the 2019 World Cup, which will be their second appearance in the quadrennial event.

#10 Virat Kohli (India)

Virat Kohli

Kohli had a phenomenal run with the willow in 2018 scoring 1202 in 14 matches at a staggering average of 135.55 amassing three half-centuries and six centuries, with his highest score being 160*.

Apart from being adjudged the ICC ODI and Test Player of the Year, the Indian skipper was also rightly named as the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year for his exploits across formats. Currently ranked number one, Kohli's form will be vital for India to excel in the batting department at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Kohli began 2019 on a decent note scoring 153 runs in the three matches against Australia and led India to their first ever bilateral ODI series win over the five-time World Champion in their own backyard.

Virat is at a different level when it comes to the ODI format and especially after having missed out on the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy title to against arch-rivals Pakistan, he will be determined to turn things around in his second major ICC tournament- both as a captain and with the willow.