An unbeatable World Cup XI featuring one legend from each Champion team

Nearly a century after the first Test match was played in 1877, an 8-team tournament in an altogether different format was played to arrive at a World Champion in 1975. Since then the quadrennial tournament has become the most sought after event in the world of cricket.

Till date, a total of 11 World Cups were played in which 5 teams - West Indies, India, Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka - have won the tournament. While Australia leads the charts with five titles to their name, India and West Indies are next on the table with two trophies in their kitty.

As the next tournament is just a few months away, we have tried to compile an unbeatable World Cup XI featuring one outstanding performer from each of the 11 champion sides.

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Openers

#1 Adam Gilchrist (wk) (Australia - 1999, 2003, 2007)

Adam Gilchrist was Australia's big match player

Adam Gilchrist is one of the greatest wicket-keeper batsmen the world of cricket has ever seen. He is the second successful wicketkeeper in World Cup history with 52 dismissals and 1085 runs in 31 matches, next only to Sri Lank's Kumara Sangakkara's 54 dismissals and 1532 runs.

He played a pivotal role in Australia's hat-trick of World Cup wins - 1999, 2003, and 2007. IN addition to scoring 8 half-centuries in WC history, he scored his only World Cup century in his last World Cup match in the 2007 finals against Sri Lanka. His 104-ball 149 made the rain-truncated match a completely one-sided affair as he helped his side score 281 runs in just 38 overs.

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#2 Sachin Tendulkar (India - 2011)

Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run scorer in World Cup history

A 10-year old Sachin Tendulkar was inspired by India's triumph at the 1983 World Cup. 28 years later, his dream of winning the World Cup for India got fulfilled after five failed attempts. In the 44 innings that he played for India at the World Cup, Sachin scored a total of 2278 runs and is the highest run-getter in World Cup history.

In the six tournaments, Sachin registered six centuries, the most by any batsman in WC history. Even though he has six centuries, the 85 that he scored against Pakistan in 2011 World Cup semi-final helped India get one step closer to their second title.

Middle-order

#3 David Boon (Australia - 1987)

David Boon scored five half-centuries in 1987 World Cup

One key person behind the Australian domination in the one-day format which started in the late 80s was David Boon. He was the highest run-getter for Australia in their maiden World Cup triumph of 1987.

In 8 matches, he scored 447 runs at an average of 55.88. He was Australia's most consistent batsman of the tournament scoring five half-centuries and a 49 in 9 outings. Boon's man of the match performance of 75 runs in the Reliance World Cup finale helped Australia beat England by 7 runs.

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#4 Ricky Ponting (Australia - 1999, 2003, 2007)

Ricky Ponting led Australia to the World Cup title in 2003 and 2007

With 1743 runs to his name, Ricky Ponting is next only to Sachin Tendulkar in terms of the runs scored in World Cup history. After winning the 1999 World Cup under the captaincy of Steve Waugh, Ponting later went lead his side to victory in the next two World Cups in 2003 and 2007. With a 92.85 win-percentage, Ponting remains the most successful captain in the history of the tournament.

Ponting, who averages 45.87 in the quadrennial tournament, has scored 5 centuries and 6 half-centuries. His highest score of 140* came in the 2003 World Cup final against India at the Wanderers. His century propelled Australia to a huge total of 359, which was 125 runs more than what India could manage during the chase.

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#5 Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies - 1975, 1979)

Sir Vivian Richards is the most devastating batsman in ODI history

Sir Vivian Richards has the highest average for a World Cup winning player with more than 1000 runs. In 21 World Cup innings, he scored a total of 1013 runs at an incredible average of 63.31. In the three World Cups that he was part of, Richards could notch up three centuries and five half-centuries.

His Man of the Match performance of 138* in the 1979 World Cup final against England helped the Windies win their second title. His 139 partnership with Collis King for the fifth wicket title the match in favour of Windies. As a result of the partnership, the defending champions could post a total of 286 and ended up winning the match by 92 runs.

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#6 Clive Loyd (West Indies - 1975, 1979)

Clive Lloyd with the 1975 World Cup Trophy

Clive Lloyd, a hard-hitting batsman, was one of the most successful captains in World Cup history. In the 17 matches that he led the Windies, his team lost only two matches, both against India in the 1983 World Cup, once in their opening match and then again in the finale.

In 11 innings, the legendary West Indian captain scored a total of 393 runs at a healthy average of 43.67. His only century came against Australia in the 1975 World Cup final. His 85-ball 102 helped the Windies post 291 runs in the first innings. During the chase, Lloyd managed his troops excellently by restricting Australia to 274 and his side win the first ever World Cup.

All-rounders

#7 Kapil Dev (India - 1983)

Kapil Dev led India to their first World Cup title in 1983

Kapil Dev, undoubtedly the best all-rounder produced by India, led India to their first World Cup title in 1983. At the World Cups, he had an incredible strike rate of 115.15, a figure way ahead of his times. In addition to scoring 669 runs, he has also taken 28 wickets in 26 matches.

In the 1983 World Cup, the Kapil Dev-led side started off the tournament in a fine fashion defeating West Indies and Zimbabwe but in the next two matches, they suffered defeats at the hands of Australia and West Indies by 162 and 66 runs respectively.

Two consecutive defeats meant that India needed to win their next fixture against Zimbabwe but an early collapse meant that India were struggling at 17-5.

Kapil then came to India's rescue by playing an outstanding innings of 138 balls which yielded in 175 runs. In addition to helping India beat Zimbabwe for the second time in the tournament, the unbeaten century was a source of inspiration for the rest of the tournament.

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#8 Imran Khan (Pakistan - 1992)

Pakistan captain Imran Khan in 1992 World Cup final

Imran Khan, who announced his retirement after the 1987 World Cup, returned from retirement in 1988 to help Pakistan win their only World Cup in 1992. The legendary all-rounder, who was first appointed as the captain of the Pakistan team in 1982, is undoubtedly the best cricketer produced by Pakistan.

In 28 World Cup matches, he scored a total of 666 runs at an average of 35.05. In addition to that, he has also picked up 34 wickets at an incredible average of 19.26. Imran was an iconic player for Pakistan and has made key contributions which guided Pakistan's fortunes at the World Cup.

Imran, who generally batted lower down the order, came into bat at number three in Pakistan's most important cricket match - the 1992 World Cup final. By scoring a half-century, he anchored Pakistan's innings and helped his side post a total of 249 in 50 overs.

Imran did not have a great outing with the ball as he took just one wicket but his contributions with the bat have ensured that Pakistan won the match by 22 runs.

Bowlers

#9 Mitchell Starc (Australia - 2015)

Mitchell Starc was the leading wicket-taker in the 2015 World Cup

Mitchell Starc played in just one World Cup but the kind of impact that he created in it will be remembered for a long time. He was consistent all throughout the tournament picking up at least two wickets in all the eight matches that he featured in.

During the 2015 tournament, he picked up a total of 22 wickets at a remarkable average of just 10.18 and was duly rewarded with the Man of the tournament award. His best performance of the tournament came against Australia's arch-rivals New Zealand in the group stage but in a losing cause.

Australia were all-out for 151 in the first innings and New Zealand were cruising through the chase but a Starc special yielding in six wickets almost stopped them from winning the match. In the end, the Kiwis won the match by one wicket but Starc's performance in the match was the one to remember.

Starc's consistent potency with the ball played a huge role in Australia winning the 2015 World Cup at home.

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#10 Glenn McGrath (Australia - 1999, 2003, 2007)

Glenn McGrath is the highest wicket-taker in World Cup history

After having a not so great World Cup in 1996 in which Australia lost to Sri Lanka in the final, Glenn McGrath turned played a key role in Australia's success in the next three World Cups. He kept on improving his performances in the next three World Cups by picking up 18, 21, and 26 wickets in 1999, 2003, and 2007 World Cups respectively.

With a total of 71 wickets in 39 matches, Glenn McGrath remains the highest wicket-taker in the history of the tournament. His best bowling figures of 7 for 15 still remain the best bowling figures registered by any bowler in the prestigious tournament. As a result of his incredible spell, Namibia were bowled out for just 45 runs in just 14 overs.

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#11 Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka - 1996)

Muralitharan is the most successful spinner in World Cup history

Muttiah Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup, is also the most successful spinner in the history of the tournament. In the 40 World Cup matches that he featured in the mystery spinner picked up 68 wickets at an average of 19.63.

In addition to helping Sri Lanka win the 1996 World Cup, he also helped his team reach the finals of 2007 and 2011 World Cups. The legendary spinner could not pick up a five-wicket haul in the 5 World Cups that he was part of but has four four-wicket hauls to his name - two of which were against New Zealand in the 2007 and 2011 editions.