5 lesser rated cricketers who can take World Cup 2015 by storm

Every player is a valuable asset to a team in his own way. There are many players who live under the shadow of star players in their team and do not get their share of praise, but their contribution to the team is of no less importance.Teams have a tendency to set plans for star players of their opponents and often tend to forget to focus on lesser rated players, which can turn out to be troublesome for their fortunes in a big tournament like the World Cup.Here are few cricketers who are underrated, but could prove to be match-winners for their teams at the World Cup:

#1 Tim Southee

The Kiwi medium pacer, at 6ft 4in, is ideally built for conditions down under.

With the new ball in his hand, he has the ability to exploit flaws in any batsmen’s technique with his late swinging deliveries. His back-of-the-hand slower ball is extremely tough to pick up and can be used as a wicket-taking option in the death overs when batsmen look to accelerate. The tall bowler can bowl toe-crushers at a brisk pace as well.

His lusty blows down the order, make him an all round option for the Kiwis. He was the third highest wicket-taker in the last edition of the World Cup in the subcontinent.

#2 James Faulkner

Faulkner is a very canny bowler, who bowls at a brisk pace. He is excellent at varying his pace in the death overs, which will be vital with the new ODI rules allowing only 4 players outside the inner circle.

The Australian all-rounder has proven to be a very effective hitter of the ball and is slowly enhancing his reputation as a finisher down the order. His batting average of 44.66, coupled with a strike-rate of 109.29 in ODIs, is what makes him such a nightmare for any rival team.

The Australian team will hope Faulkner finds his mark in this year’s World Cup.

#3 Junaid Khan

The Pakistani speedster is one of the best emerging bowlers on the international circuit. Known for his excellent control and ability to swing the ball both ways, in the air and off the seam, he is lethal with his yorkers in the death overs.

The 24-year-old has an outstanding average of 25.90 in this format and a best of 5 for 12. He has modelled his action on the great Wasim Akram and Pakistan’s hopes of winning the World Cup will be pinned on their star bowler.

#4 Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson occupies the crucial number 3 position for New Zealand. The 23-year-old right-handed batsman is one of those rare Kiwi batsmen who look at home both against spin and pace. He may not be a big hitter of the ball, but he is very busy at the crease and keeps the scoreboard ticking. With the team filled with big hitters like Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and Corey Anderson, Williamson provides the team with some much-needed stability.

The stylish batsman has a highest score of 145 with the bat and has recently been cleared to bowl again. His exceptional fielding at backward-point will be another bonus for the Kiwis.

#5 Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali’s recent exploits against Sri Lanka have enhanced his batting credentials. He does have a weakness against bouncers, but his style of batting is very elegant and sense of timing is excellent.

With the ball, he can be relied upon to bowl the full quota of 10 overs. His wicket-taking ability came to the fore against India in the Test series earlier this year. His all-round abilities provide England with the balance that the team needs.