Which was man to man the strongest team ever to play in the cricket world cup ?

[Harsh Thakor]

Here I am trying to analyze in order of merit the strongest team on paper or the most powerful or talented team man a-man .I am not going on the basis of records but just asessing talent.

1.South Africa 1999- Placed on top because of it's outstanding batting depth ,great pace attack,outstanding fielding and great number of allrounders.Imagine having all-rounders of the stature of Kallis,Kluesener,Pollock and Cronje who could all turn games , batsmen like Mark Boucher at no 9.,pacemen like Alan Donald and Shaun Pollock and fielders like Jonty Rhodes.Lance Kluesener was the best man to bang the final nails in the coffin,being the most explosive bat ever in the final stages of an innings in a world cup.Sadly this unit lacked match-winning killer instinct or temperament to win a cup.Perhaps also truly great batsmen in the middle -order .


2.Pakistan 1999

Had the most potent,versatile or lethal attack than any team ever with the likes.of Wasim ,Waqar,Shoaib,Saqlain and Razzak.Also had some class all-rounders in Azhar Mehmood,Abdur Razzaq and Wasim Akram himself.Great batsmen in Saed Anwar ,Mohammad Younus and Inzamam who could be as explosive as anybody on their day.Wicketkeeper Moin was a more than handy batsmen.Had batting depth upto no 9.Arguably no team had more match-winners.


3=.Australia 2003 and 2007

Reminiscent of a cricketing machine revealing superiority over adversaries at a height or margin never reached before.Rolled over oposition with consistency as no team before.Posessed the greatest spinner ever in Warne,the greatest batting match-winner in Gilchrist,the best fast medium bowler of all in Mcgrath and arguably the bets Aussie batsmen since Bradman in Ponting.In addition had match-winners like Hayden ,Langer,Martyn,Symonds ,Bevan etc.Brett Lee also gave great poise to their bowling attack.


5=.West Indies 1979 and 1983
May have lost the final in 83 but still the best side of the tournament.Imagine the likes of Garner,Marshal,Roberts and Holding bowling in tandem as well as batsmen like Haynes,Greenidge,Richards,Lloyd,Gomes and Dujon together.It could paralyse any team inspite of not having a genuine spinner and no specialist allrounder.Not as a great a fielding side as Australia or South Africa at its best and not as much bating depth as the best Pakistani or South African sides.1979 team that won almost the same apart from the inclusion of Kalicharan,Andy Roberts and Croft.


7.Pakistan 1979

A team that gave the might West Indies the closest run for its money in the semi-final.At one stage chasing a target of 293 Pakistan looked cruising home before a middle-order collapse.Arguably the best ever batting line up ever in a world cup with Imran Khan at no 9.Stars like Majid Khan ,Zaheer Abbas,Asif Iqbal,Javed Miandad and Imran Khan all together.With proper application may well have won the cup.


8.South Africa 1992
Incredible reserves of talent particularly of all-rounders and fast bowlers.Also some great strikers with the bat.On paper an all-time great team .Imagine the likes of Alan Donald,Brian Macmillan,Adrian Kuiper,Devilliers,Cronje Wessels and Hudson all together.


9.England 1992

One of the most balanced teams with a plethora of all-round cricketers like Ian Botham and Dermot Reeves.An epitome of consistency till it faded out in the final to Pakistan.


10.India of 2011

Talent in every department with match-winners like Yuvraj,Raina and Dhoni and versatlity.Tendulkar also had a key role to play as well as the likes of Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh.

11=India and Pakistan of 1987

Both teams were simply great powerhouses of talent.Pakistan had a more versatile bowling attack,India had more talented batsmen.Significant that Kapil Dev had a superior record as an ODI allrounder than Imran .Both teams batted upto no 10 but ironically failed to qualify for the final.

Edited March 27, 2019 by Harsh Thakor

[SK_IH]

I am confused between WI 83 or Aus 2007, but I would say WI 83 was the best ever.

[velu]

india 2011 ..

 

best odi batting lineup every assembled ..

 

sachin , sehwag , gambhir , ( kohli ) , ( raina ) , uv , dhoni .. 

captained by the bestest street smart cricketer ever  

[Gollum]

Did you just place the 1999 Pak team above ATG WI and Oz? You do over rate Pakistanis a lot but this is crazy, can't take you seriously sorry. 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Gollum

[DHONI_FANN]

Australia 2003 by some distance. 

[DHONI_FANN]

21 minutes ago, velu said:

india 2011 ..

 

best odi batting lineup every assembled ..

 

sachin , sehwag , gambhir , ( kohli ) , ( raina ) , uv , dhoni .. 

captained by the bestest street smart cricketer ever  

100% agreed with the bolded part

[Gollum]

Between 1983 WI and 2007 Oz. 

[Harsh Thakor]

18 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Did you just place the 1999 Pak team above ATG WI and Oz? You do over rate Pakistanis a lot but this is crazy, can't take you seriously sorry. 

Sorry Gollum.I appreciate your views and you have a right to them.Remember I am considering pure talent and strength on paper.Just look at the versatlity of the bowing attack,batting depth and all-round skill.Also look at South Africa's batting depth,bowling attack,fielding and number of all-rounders.No doubt in performance West Indies and Australia were a street ahead.Appreciate response.

[Gollum]

15 minutes ago, Harsh Thakor said:

Sorry Gollum.I appreciate your views and you have a right to them.Remember I am considering pure talent and strength on paper.Just look at the versatlity of the bowing attack,batting depth and all-round skill.Also look at South Africa's batting depth,bowling attack,fielding and number of all-rounders.No doubt in performance West Indies and Australia were a street ahead.Appreciate response.

1999 Pak had Wajatullah Wasti as opener and Abdul Razzaq as number 3, that should tell you the story. A weak batting line up no matter what parameter you use. And the bowling was over rated because Waqar didn't play most of the matches while Akhtar was too raw. And a rubbish fielding side if I may add. I rate their 1996 team above the 1999 one even if results may not show. 

 

1983 WI had an outstanding top 4 (Greenidge, Haynes, Viv, Lloyd) and that legendary pace quartet (Marshall, Roberts, Garner, Holding), plus Dujon as WK. 2007 Australia had a batting line up of Hayden, Gilly, Ponting, Symonds, Clarke, Hussey, Watson besides a strong ODI bowling unit of McGrath, Bracken, Tait, Watson, Hogg...never mind their brilliant fielding unit. And both those teams had an aura which adds the psychological side of things. 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Gollum

[Gollum]

When dealing with such topics you can't discount mental toughness. Talent, strength etc is ok but if I put that team against another great one (assume both teams firing on all cylinders) in a winner takes all match, mental strength has to enter the picture. That automatically rules out Pak, RSA and elevates WI, Oz. 

[Gollum]

2003 Aus too deserves special mention: Hayden, Gilly, Ponting, Martyn, Symonds, Lehmann, Bevan, Bichel, Hogg, Lee, McGrath. I rate it below 2007 team because Lehmann, Bevan were on their last legs in ODI cricket, and not dynamic enough so the explosive finishing power was lacking. Besides they had a 5th bowler problem and the aura wasn't at max level. Interesting to note Warne missed 2003, Brett Lee missed 2007 (when he was best in the world) and they still stomped through all teams mercilessly. 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Gollum

[Haarkarjeetgaye]

Aus 1999

Gilchrist , Mark Waugh, Ponting, Steve, Lehman, Bevan, Moody, riefel, Warne, Mcgrath, Damien Fleming, 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Haarkarjeetgaye

[rkt.india]

2 hours ago, SK_IH said:

I am confused between WI 83 or Aus 2007, but I would say WI 83 was the best ever.

Aus 2003

[SK_IH]

35 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

Aus 2003

I am talking in context of how they won the WC. In 2007, Aus won the WC unchallenged. Winning the WC undefeated is one thing but unchallenged is beyond awesome. 

Also that team:

Hayden

Gilly

Ponting

Clarke

Symonds

Hussey

Watson

Hogg

Bracken

McGrath

Tait

 

Look at this team, 7 batsmen 7 bowling options. 

 

 

[putrevus]

In what world 1999 SA and Pakistan teams are called strongest team. They were nothing special.1983 WI will my strongest team followed by 2003 Australian team. 1983 WI team would win against any team.

 

It was a miracle India won against that team.

[raki05]

2 hours ago, Gollum said:

Did you just place the 1999 Pak team above ATG WI and Oz? You do over rate Pakistanis a lot but this is crazy, can't take you seriously sorry. 

He has a habit of exaggerating pakistanis in all kind of list he make. Even when he talks about top 10 batsmen he will have 2-3 pakistani there though none of wisdon or any top cricketers would keep any pakistani in top 10 batsmen lists.

[SK_IH]

1 hour ago, Gollum said:

2003 Aus too deserves special mention: Hayden, Gilly, Ponting, Martyn, Symonds, Lehmann, Bevan, Bichel, Hogg, Lee, McGrath. I rate it below 2007 team because Lehmann, Bevan were on their last legs in ODI cricket, and not dynamic enough so the explosive finishing power was lacking. Besides they had a 5th bowler problem and the aura wasn't at max level. Interesting to note Warne missed 2003, Brett Lee missed 2007 (when he was best in the world) and they still stomped through all teams mercilessly. 

True, they were true ATG side, no injury could stop them. Imagine Zak missing WC 2011 lol

[VT87]

Aus 2003, that team was scary as hell even winning  just  one match against them  considerd to be an accomplishment. .they had atleast  2goat (Warne, McGrath ) , couple of atgs ( Ponting, gilchrisht etc) and many greats .

[Haarkarjeetgaye]

16 minutes ago, VT87 said:

Aus 2003, that team was scary as hell even winning  just  one match against them  considerd to be an accomplishment. .they had atleast  2goat (Warne, McGrath ) , couple of atgs ( Ponting, gilchrisht etc) and many greats .

There was no Warne in 2003

[putrevus]

There is no team in history which would score against that 1983 WI bowling easily. That is the best ever bowling attack in any world cup team.Even without spinner those four giants would make run scoring tough for any team in any conditions.

 

They would demolish any Aussie world cup winning team easily in a series.

Edited March 27, 2019 by putrevus