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The top teams at the World Cup are getting the most out of the death overs with both bat and ball.

The World Cup's top four teams are making their mark in the death overs, proving hard to stop when it matters most.

An analysis of each team's performance with the bat and ball after the 40th over highlights the differences between the haves and have-nots of the tournament.

With half of the competition complete, likely semi-finalists Australia, India and England are ranked in the top four for run-rate with the bat and economy rate with the ball in the death overs.

New Zealand's batting figures are skewed, with just one of their innings going beyond the 40th over, but they are ranked first with the ball.

The data also shows Australia lose the most wickets in the period - one every 11 balls - but they are still getting the job done with the fourth highest run-rate of 8.10.

It comes after questions have routinely have been asked of whether Australia have the firepower to score big runs late in the big games.

The Aussies have not been bogged down in the middle overs in their past two games, after they fell in a rut in their doomed run chase against India earlier in the tournament.

"I think you've got to keep taking the game on," Steve Smith said.

"When you've got off to a good start and you've got wickets in the shed you've got to keep trying to take the game on.

"There are a lot of specialty bowlers who bowl at the back end and can be difficult to get away.

"If you just keep that run rate going (earlier) and playing with a positive mindset and slightly aggressive, with wickets in the shed, that's where you get your 350-pluses."

Australia's bowlers, meanwhile, are ranked third in the death overs, going at just 6.9.

Mitchell Starc has unsurprisingly been the most dangerous, taking five of Australia's 11 death wickets.

"I do enjoy the challenge," Starc said.

"There have been times where I have gone the journey, I did against India and I probably will in the future as well.

"That challenge of trying to win a game for your team or defend a total. I really enjoy that.

"It's something I work really hard at and it's been a role I have done for a long time as well.

"I might go for a few runs and my economy might be higher than others through an innings, but I am there to try and take wickets for the team."

BATTING RUN-RATES AT DEATH

India: 9.56

England: 8.77

Pakistan: 8.43

Australia: 8.10

South Africa: 7.35

Bangladesh: 7.21

New Zealand: 6.70

West Indies: 5.68

Sri Lanka: 2.40

Afghanistan: 0.86

BOWLING ECONOMY RATES AT DEATH

New Zealand: 5.43

England: 6.90

Australia: 6.92

India: 7.20

Pakistan: 7.41

South Africa: 8.00

Bangladesh: 8.56

West Indies: 9.42

Sri Lanka: 9.70

Afghanistan: Yet to bowl at death