ICC World Cup 2019: Players who can be top scorers in the tournament

This World Cup will be a neck-on-neck contest as the number of teams competing in it have been reduced to 10. Ever since the inception of this format of the game, the rules have increasingly favoured the batsmen and the ICC Cricket World Cups over the years have witnessed some memorable batting performances from several legends who have played the game. Also, the flat wickets in England will be a major advantage to the batters as they are expected to smash the bowlers to all corners of the ground and make this event a high scoring one across all the previous 12 editions. Below are the batsmen who can potentially end up as the leading run scorer of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019:

5. Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson is one of the finest batsmen to have come from New Zealand. Whenever he steps on to the field, he goes about his work nonchalantly and has a sense of cricket awareness which is unmatchable. Over the years, he has climbed up the ranks to become one of the greats of the game. With almost every cricketing shot in his repertoire and his ability to play quality pace and spin equally well, he is expected to accumulate a lot of runs by the end of this World Cup. Needless to say, his performance will be crucial to his team that has failed miserably in the knockouts of the previous editions.

4. David Warner
One of the most consistent batsmen at the top of the order, David Warner is expected to lend the much needed stability at the top of the order to the baggy green side who have had a torrid time in his absence. After having returned to competitive cricket after serving a ban for a year along with his counterpart Steve Smith, he has amassed tons of runs for his franchise side Sunrisers Hyderabad in the recently concluded edition of the Indian Premier League. Warner's form is a cause of worry for the opposing sides because when he is batting, he can demolish any pace attack with ease. If he carries on his rich vein of form, not only will he propel the Aussies to competitive totals, but he can also end up as the highest run scorer of the tournament.

3. Jonny Bairstow
The exciting brand of cricket that England plays may be attributed to their coach Trevor Bayliss and several players in their side which includes Johnny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Joe Root and Eoin Morgan who are capable of tearing apart any bowling attack on any given day. Bairstow was always known to be a batsman who could bail England at the time of crisis. Also, several cricketing experts opine that sending Jonny Bairstow at the top of the order has proved to be a masterstroke as he lends the current English batting line up a whole new dimension with his aggressive stroke-making abilities coupled with his level headedness. He is all set to amass hundreds of runs by the end of the tournament and enable his side to lift their first ever World Cup.

2. Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan or Gabbar as he is fondly called has risen up the ranks in a very short while to become one of India's ever-dependable opener. He alongside Rohit Sharma will have to provide great start at the top of the order which would reduce the burden on the fringe middle order that India have going into the tournament. Dhawan also has always been a man for big occasions which is evident from the fact that he is the only batsman to receive Golden Bats in consecutive Champion Trophy tournaments (2013 and 2017). Also, he finished as the leading scorer for India in the previous edition of this marquee event in 2015. Of late, Shikhar has struggled to get going against top quality bowling attacks, but the Indian think-tank headed by Ravi Shastri would be having high hopes on this man from Delhi to deliver the goods when the team needs the most.

1. Virat Kohli
One of the most exciting batsmen of the current generation, Virat Kohli is on a mission to conquer every batting record possible. His staggering numbers across all formats of the game are testament to both his hard work and passion for the game. The Indian skipper would be the one holding the top and middle order together at number 3 as he steps out on the field every single time. It would not come as a surprise to cricket fans across the globe if he goes past Sachin Tendulkar's record tally of most runs in a single edition of the World Cup (673 runs). If he does so, India has a high chance of bringing the cup back home for the third time.