WORLD CUP POWER INDEX: Is there a new no.1 on the blocks after week five?

England, Australia and Pakistan feature heavily in the list as The Cricketer looks at the star performers as the group stage enters its final week

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1. (9) Mitchell Starc

The outright leading wicket taker in the tournament, and by some distance to. His nine wickets, including the scalps of Ben Stokes and Kane Williamson, in Australia's wins over England and New Zealand has seen him jump to 24 wickets in the tournament. He is on quite a roll.

2. (-) Jonny Bairstow

Became involved in a spat with Michael Vaughan about the supposed bloodthirsty nature of the media but did his talking on the pitch as well with a brilliant hundred against India when he took Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal apart. Showed that it takes two to tango amidst the joy of Jason Roy's return.

3. (2) Shakib Al Hasan

Only the second man in World Cup history after Yuvraj Singh to score a fifty and take five wickets in the same match, Shakib continues to pull up trees for Bangladesh. Will be re-energised by the seven-day rest and will be key if his side are to heap further misery on India in the race for the semi-finals.

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Jonny Bairstow backed up his talk with a brilliant century against India

4. (5) Aaron Finch

Scored a brilliant hundred against England. Should have kicked on and not got out the ball after getting to the landmark, but he could do nothing about the brilliant inducker from Boult to dismiss him cheaply against New Zealand. Has captained well in both games and got the best out of his bowlers.

5. (-) Ben Stokes

For all of the talk about Roy and Bairstow, Stokes' last two innings have saved England from humiliation against Australia and powered them to a sizeable score against India with some exceptional power hitting. Would be higher up the list if he had taken more than the one wicket though.

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6. (6) Rohit Sharma

A century in vain after a sketchy start against England in Edgbaston. Got a corker from Kemar Roach against West Indies but had Virat Kohli stuck around with him a little longer in Birmingham his 102 could have been a match-winning hundred. Nevertheless, it was a third three-figure score in this competition for the India opener.

7. (1) Kane Williamson

Not exactly clinging on in the XI, but did not manage to maintain his excellent start to the tournament in the last week. Nicked a rasping delivery from Shadab Khan to Sarfraz Ahmed in New Zealand's first loss of the tournament against Pakistan before the same mode of dismissal saw him feather Starc to Alex Carey. New Zealand look far less of a dangerous side without him anchoring the innings.

8. (7) Jofra Archer

Was heavily punished for his lack of consistent line-and-length bowling against Australia, but showed what he was all about against India as he proved too quick for their batsmen on several occasions. Was unlucky to remain wicketless in the latter but the lack of scalps see him remain lower down in the index.

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Shaheen Afridi took two wickets in as many balls against Afghanistan

9. (-) Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan's go-to man for wickets at the moment. Has taken seven scalps in his last two games, including an extremely economical three for 28 against New Zealand before he followed that up by taking two wickets in two balls on his way to four for 47 against Afghanistan. His celebration is catching on, as is the 19-year-old's elevated status.

10. (4) David Warner

Fell into the trap against Moeen Ali and was easily caught by Joe Root on the offside when looking to push down on the accelerator after bringing up his half-century. Was surprised by Lockie Ferguson's pace and couldn't get his hands out of the way as he was caught behind by Latham.  

11. (8) Mohammad Amir

Just one wicket in his last two games is a disappointment for a bowler with such high standards and that has nudged him to the bottom of the index this week. That does not mean to say he has not bowled consistent line and lengths, and while luck has not been on his side he has enjoyed very little wicket-taking joy aside from Martin Guptill dragging back on to his stumps.

Our coverage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is brought to you in association with Cricket 19, the official video game of the Ashes. Order your copy now at Amazon.co.uk

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