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Cricket World Cup: Star players to keep an eye on this tournament
Cricket’s World Cup always brings thrills and spills to the masses.
It is a time for extremes for any two sets of fans. Where joy meets misery, happiness faces heartbreak.
But who will be the individuals responsible for the whirlwind of emotions?
Here are some of the most dynamic and destructive players for each nation.
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan
Fans of the Big Bash and Indian Premier League immediately took to young Rashid Khan - and with good reason.
The 20-year-old spinner can cause batsmen of any variety to wake up in a cold sweat the night before facing him.
Indeed, in Afghanistan’s warm-up victory against Pakistan, young Rashid was even causing viewers (OK, it was me) anxiety with how often he’d entice a play-and-miss shot.
Afghanistan are no strangers to an upset and if they are to manage another in this World Cup, Rashid will no doubt have a role to play.
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Australia: Patrick Cummins
Way back in 2011, Cummins burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old pace bowler for the Test side in South Africa, taking six wickets on debut.
After a number of injury setbacks and a superb 2017/18 Ashes, Cummins made 2018 his year by taking wicket after wicket and scoring with the bat while Australia papered over (was this pun intended?) the vast cracks in their batting line up.
The result of his efforts? Being named number one Test bowler in the world and receiving the Allan Border Medal for 2018-19.
His ability to bowl quickly and accurately has caused batsmen serious issues and he has the variety in his game to be a huge success in one-day international cricket, as his 82 wickets in 48 innings suggests.
Unsurprisingly, as with many of the players on this list, he has the batting ability to cause trouble to teams when required.
Although only averaging just shy of 12 runs, he has three sixes and 15 fours to his name in 27 innings with the bat.
(Note: Glenn Maxwell would almost certainly have made this list but we still aren’t certain he won’t be dropped just for being Glenn Maxwell.)
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan
One of the world’s best all-rounders, Shakib can cause you misery with both bat and ball. So, there’s that.
A pre-World Cup high score of 134 not out ensures his batting stats look not too shabby, with an average of 35 after 186 innings.
But, infuriatingly, he is also handy with the ball. Best figures of 5-47 and 249 wickets in 195 innings suggest he will be an absolute handful.
The 32-year-old is certainly one to watch for pure entertainment.
England: Jofra Archer
The England new-boy was rushed into the World Cup squad barely a month before the competition’s start.
It was a fairly average start for the Barbados-born all-rounder, who claimed five wickets in four innings across two formats.
But Archer’s general threat is what interests the wider public. His venomous deliveries and ability to bowl in excess of 90mph will delight all spectators.
Less so the facing batsmen, especially when you throw his tidy short ball into the mix.
(See also; Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow. Plus Ben Stokes. And Eoin Morgan. Maybe Moeen too. In fact, just watch England play.)
India: Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah’s skill with the red ball has led to him being one of the most dangerous bowlers in Test cricket.
India took to Australia at the end of 2018 and won a historic series there, winning 2-1. Bumrah played a leading role, taking 21 wickets at an average of 17.
Indeed, the 25-year-old showed Down Under that his skiddy, unorthodox action can cause batsmen considerable trouble.
Add to that mix an ability to change up delivery almost by the ball, as well as a very handy yorker, and you can start to imagine what type of problems Bumrah poses.
(Side note: Captain Virat Kohli can also bat well.)
New Zealand: Kane Williamson
Since the departure of Brendan McCullum, Williamson has been New Zealand’s go-to man.
The Black Caps captain, and right-handed batsmen, has enjoyed a strong ODI career to date.
With 5554 runs in 133 innings, an average of just under 46, Williamson has the composure, temperament and ability to alter the momentum of a match.
New Zealand thrive on the underdog tag too, lest we forget they made a scintillating run to the final in 2015.
Needless to say, with Williamson at the helm, they should provide us with great entertainment.
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman
Ah yes. The man whose maiden ton at the Oval in 2017 saw Pakistan to a glorious Champions Trophy final victory against India.
His 114 off 106 on that occasion helped Pakistan to a quite unlikely victory, but he was given a huge reprieve earlier in the innings when he was caught off Bumrah’s bowling.
Only it was a no-ball.
Fakhar Zaman: what a lucky chap..... pic.twitter.com/9FWdV0BfSo
— Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) June 30, 2017
Needless to say, you can imagine the headlines which followed, but Fakhar knows how to play one-day cricket. His highest score is 210, not out.
He averages more than 51 per innings and will no doubt be eyeing up another fun summer in England two years on from that success.
South Africa: Kagiso Rabada
If it’s exciting, high-paced bowling you’re after, look no further than Rabada.
The South African youngster is always willing to engage in a battle, always bowls with venom and, when in full flow, quite hard to take your eyes off.
Indeed, he engaged in a high-velocity battle with a certain David Warner in that series with Australia.
With pre-tournament figures of 106 wickets in 65 innings, and an eye-boggling best of 6-16, Rabada is clearly South Africa’s danger man.
Or, at least their main one. Given they boast the likes of Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi among others, expectations will be high.
Sri Lanka: Lasith Malinga
Ah, now time for the veteran. The shorter-form assassin.
Such is Malinga’s peculiar slinging action - and if you have not seen it by now, where have you been? - that it provides a perfect foil to cause chaos in one-day cricket.
With age has come a decline in outright speed, but the 35-year-old has adapted with style.
Heading into the tournament with 322 wickets in 212 innings, Malinga’s faster deliveries are no longer the most lethal ones.
That would be the slower, dipping yorker. Just one from his bag full of mastery, Malinga will certainly engage viewers this summer.
West Indies: Chris Gayle
For all the off-field antics, it would be hard to ignore the on-field destructive fury of Gayle’s bat.
With a high score of 215, the 39-year-old enters his fifth World Cup with, presumably, the same sort of nonchalant approach to batting he has always taken.
Gayle averages 38, but that doesn’t really tell the full story.
He is always eager to register a boundary or five as soon as possible, and his bang or bust style means when it pays off, he goes huge.
It also means he will have innings where he barely troubles the scorers.
Either way, it ought to be a great watch for Gayle’s final (?) World Cup.
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