Kiwis, Aussies pack World Cup XI

New Zealand and Australia players make up the World XI picked up by International Cricket Council after the 2015 World Cup.

Five players from New Zealand, runners-up in the competition, and three from champions Australia make up the World XI..

Brendon McCullum has been chosen captain of team that also has two South Africans, AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel, and a Sri Lankan, Kumar Sangakkara, while Zimbabwe's Brendan Taylor has been reserved as the 12th player, according to the ICC press release published on Sunday.

The World XI has no Indian or Pakistani players.

McCullum has displayed aggressive, innovative and lively captaincy all through the competition leading the co-hosts New Zealand to their first-ever final.

The opener also scored 328 runs that included four half-centuries at a blistering strike-rate of 188.50.

The New Zealand captain's opening partner Martin Guptill, who scored the highest in a single innings in the 44-day tournament, has been picked up alongside him. Guptill scored 547 runs that included a double ton, a century and a fifty.

The duo is followed by Sangakkara who has been designated as the wicket-keeper. He scored a record four successive centuries to haul 541 runs as the second highest scorer in the World Cup.

Steven Smith and AB de Villiers have been placed fourth and fifth in the line up. Smith scored 402 runs smashing a hundred and four fifties while the South Africa captain notched up 482 runs at an average of 96.40 and strike-rate of 144.31.

Australia's explosive batsman Glenn Maxwell is enlisted in six with 324 runs to his name at a strike-rate of 182.02. 

New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson follows the Aussies with 231 runs and 14 wickets (average 16.71).

Kiwi veteran Daniel Vettori has been signed up as the only specialist spinner. The southpaw bagged 15 wickets at an economy-rate of only 4.04.

Player of the tournament Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult and Morkel form the pace battery of the side. Both Starc and Boult picked up 22 scalps. The former has a striking average of 10.18.

Morkel bagged 17 wickets at an average of 17.58.

Zimbabwe captain Taylor, assigned as the twelfth man, is fourth in the highest run-scorers list with 433 runs in six matches.

Bangladesh batsman Mahmudullah was considered for the team among others, said ICC General Manager and chairman of the panel Geoff Allardice.

“There were a number of other players that were discussed as possible selections in the team. These included batsmen Mahmudullah (Bangladesh) and Shaiman Anwar (UAE), fast bowlers Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami (both India), Wahab Riaz (Pakistan) and spinners Imran Tahir (South Africa) and R.Ashwin (India)," read the press release.

Alongside Allardice, the selection panel consisted of New Zealand Herald journalist Andrew Alderson, broadcaster Harsha Bhogle, umpire Richard Kettleborough, The Age journalist Chloe Saltau and former England captain and broadcaster Michael Vaughan.

Team of the 2015 World Cup 2015 in batting order: 

Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kumar Sangakkara, Steven Smith, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettori, Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Morne Morkel, Brendan Taylor (12th man).