ICC ODI Team of the Year 2015

With his relentless aggression, strong wrists and natural timing, Tillakaratne Dilshan is one of the most exciting batsmen in the game today. He is technically sound, but, much like Virender Sehwag, he uses the defensive option only as a last resort, after all the attacking alternatives have been explored. He loves to make room and thrash the ball through the off side, but the stroke that bears his signature more than any other is the one he developed for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 - the eponymously named "Dilscoop" shot over his head, which confounded bowlers and experts alike.

An elegant strokeplayer blessed with the temperament to make the most of his talent, Hashim Amla is the first South African of Indian descent to reach the national squad - his grandparents migrated from Gujarat - and he shares the penchant for wristy leg-side flicks that ooze off his bat. A quiet man, there is no doubting Amla's immense hunger for runs. His elevation to the South Africa side was a poorly kept secret after he reeled off four centuries in his first eight innings of the 2004-05 season, after being appointed captain of the Dolphins (formerly Natal) at the tender age of 21.

As soon as he broke into the side at the age of 22, while a law student, it was apparent that Kumar Sangakkara was destined for more than just batting stardom. The left-handers that had preceded him, like Arjuna Ranatunga and Asanka Gurusinha, had been pugnacious battlers but Sangakkara was cut from more graceful cloth, easing into strokes with the elegance often associated withthose that play with the 'other' hand. The cut and the pull came naturally to him and with growing confidence, he became a more assured front-foot player as well.

A batsman of breathtaking chutzpah and enterprise, as well as the skills and the temperament required to back up his creative intent. A fielder able to leap tall buildings and still come up with the catch. A wicketkeeper who is perfectly at ease donning pads and gloves. A fine rugby player, golfer, and tennis player. All AB de Villiers needs to show off his abundant gifts is a ball. Just about any ball.

Steven Smith started his Test career as a legspinner who batted at No.8; by the time he was named Australia's captain five years later, he was the No.1 Test batsman in the world and no more than an occasional bowler. Smith's talent was apparent early, but as a young batsman he had more moving parts than an orchestra, only they didn't always work in harmony. He went away and worked on his game and returned to the Test side two years later with a much tighter technique. He still fidgeted between balls but could play every shot in the book, and a few more that defied words besides. Smith is quick-footed and adept at facing spin, but is equally comfortable driving and pulling the fast bowlers.

Ross Taylor could be just what New Zealand need in the wake of the mass of departures from their batting line-up: an aggressive top-order batsman capable of taking up the challenge to world-class attacks. He made a flying start to the domestic 2005-06 season, with three centuries, and was soon in his country's limited-overs side. In only his third match, Taylor hammered a superb 128 against Sri Lanka at Napier and he followed it up with 84 at better than a run a ball in his first ODI outside New Zealand, at Hobart against Australia in January 2007.

Rated as one half of the best new-ball pair in New Zealand history by Sir Richard Hadlee, Trent Boult is a left-arm quick who presents a significant threat to batsmen around the world with an ability to move the ball both ways even in unresponsive conditions.

A promising seamer from Bengal, Shami Ahmed had played only 15 first-class and 15 List A games when he was drafted into India's ODI team to play Pakistan in Delhi in January 2013. He showed that the faith wasn't misplaced, as he bowled tight lines in a low-scoring match to return figures of 9-4-23-1, thus becoming only the eighth bowler, and the first Indian, to bowl four or more maiden overs on his ODI debut.

Mitchell Starc is one of the many exciting young fast bowlers coming out of New South Wales. A tall left-armer, he generates plenty of pace and bounce, and also possesses the ability to bring the ball back into the right-hander. These skills have made him one of the most promising young fast bowlers in Australia. Apart from these talents, his batting skills are pretty reasonable too, and he fell just one short of a Test century in Mohali during the 2013 tour to India.

Mustafizur Rahman is a left-arm pace bowler who came to Dhaka to try out for a fast-bowlers camp in 2012, after he had impressed in an Under-17 tournament in his hometown Satkhira. He was admitted to the BCB's pace foundation and soon caught the coaches' attention to make the Bangladesh Under-19 side for the 2014 World Cup.

Imran Tahir is the epitome of a journeyman cricketer. In fact, he has barely stopped moving. Since starting his first-class career in 1996-97 he has racked up at least 10 teams ranging from Lahore to Yorkshire via the Titans in South Africa. He has had stints with three English counties; Middlesex, Yorkshire and Hampshire, who he signed for in 2008. That he has never remained anywhere for very long suggests a cricketer who has failed to live up to his potential, but his first-class record is impressive with a fine average and imposing strike-rate - impressive enough, in fact, to earn him a call-up to the South Africa Test squad in January 2010 during their home series against England.