5 unheralded players who can make a big difference in World Cup 2015

I can't quite remember a World Cup with this many exciting, powerhouse players. Look down the list of squads, and you can safely say that at least six teams can be considered strong contenders on paper.It goes on to show that limited-overs cricket has been aided by regulations, bat manufacturers, and the burning need to achieve zenith levels of fitness, to evolve into a boisterous, high adrenaline format where the winner doesn't necessarily have to be the better side, but the side that can counter-punch more effectively when cornered. There are bound to be knights and their nemeses.However, no amount of transfiguration can take away cricket's underlying principle of being a team sport. And so, there will always be room for bumbling sidekicks and understated squires. Part-timers, bits-and-pieces-players, non-regulars, newbies, unheralded - call them what you may, these players continue to be vital to every team. Here are five at this World Cup who could be making their last appearance in a list titled like this:

#1 Luke Ronchi

Luke Ronchi is an integral part of New Zealand’s young new wave of destruction. He is 33, though. And that keeps with the pattern of his career, which has been an anomaly. He is probably the only cricketer at the tournament who will call every venue home. The Kiwis won’t mind that.

Ronchi is destructive, and then some. Throughout grade cricket, his USP has been his ability to be murderous at the top of the order. For New Zealand, he plays a similar role but in a different position. He has been a regular since his debut and is carving a niche for himself at number 7, playing his role quietly in a strong Kiwi line-up.

The importance of a wicket-keeper who can bat is no secret anymore. Ronchi plays his role optimally and is not averse to a rescue mission or two, as showcased by his blazing 170 not out against Sri Lanka coming in at 93-5. For a side known to struggle under the pressure of a semi-final, Ronchi’s presence late in the order can be a vital asset.

Performance Indicators:

Batting – Innings: 29, Average: 37.04, Strike Rate: 125.11

#2 Moeen Ali

English cricket will look back at 2014 and only want to remember two things – a series win against India and the emergence of an aggressive opening batsman who can bowl his full quota of spin.

As one of the only three top 8 sides who haven’t won a World Cup, England are often accused of lacking a killer instinct and failing to look beyond their tried methods. In this edition, they have a largely inexperienced batting line-up, which is a step away from the tradition of choosing big names. Moeen Ali is the cream of the crop among them.

He provides a good, solid presence and allows England to play to their strength, which is their pace bowling department.

Since his emergence as an off-spinner against India, Ali has bowled in all 14 ODIs he has played in, at an economy rate of 4.85, without conceding more than 5.2 runs per over in any game. Most of his scalps – although a small number – have been of batsmen No. 1 to No. 4.

It is to his credit that a frontline batsman is catching the world’s interest more with his bowling, for Ali has looked destructive on his day with an overall strike-rate of 108.46 and is England’s best bet as an opening partner to Ian Bell who is in prime form.

The 27-year-old is playing a lot of roles for England at the moment, of which bringing balance to their side is the most crucial one. England have lacked quality all-rounders since Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood, but this could be the time for Ali to firmly place himself on that list. He could be the difference between erstwhile English squads and a World Cup victory.

Performance Indicators:

Bowling – Economy Rate: 4.85, Wickets: 12

Batting – Innings:14, Average: 32.21, Strike Rate – 108.41

#3 Haris Sohail

Left-handed all-rounders come at throwaway rates in the sub-continent. Haris Sohail is among the better ones in Pakistan at the moment, especially considering that in 7 years of List A cricket, he had only bowled a total of 7 overs before playing for Pakistan!

Sohail has been a popular name in Pakistan’s domestic circuit as Sialkot Stallions’ premier batsman. Primarily a middle-order player, his style is unlike most Pakistani players who play in that position. It is built on a solid technique and screams elegance as evidenced against New Zealand in the recent series. Sohail played some impressive knocks under pressure and also showed his ability to adapt every time quick runs were needed.

His contribution with the ball was equally impressive and added weight to the argument that there is still place for spinners who like to throw them up. In light of the controversy surrounding the exclusion of Fawad Alam from the World Cup Squad, Haris Sohail has proven that he is a qualified replacement. In combination with Shahid Afridi – both batting and bowling, Sohail brings a good balance to this Pakistani side.

Performance Indicators:

Batting – Innings: 8, Average: 40.00, Strike Rate: 80.69

Bowling – Economy Rate: 5.16, Wickets: 6

#4 James Taylor

Many people are of the belief that James Taylor should have played at least 50 games for England by this point in his career. They have a strong case.

Taylor has mastered the art of making runs at the domestic level and has been particularly severe in the shorter formats. For a batsman who is so obviously talented, he has shown immense perseverance since he last appeared for England in 2011. His dominance in domestic cricket is comparable to Trott, whose position he will be filling in.

However, his role may not quite be the same. Taylor is an aggressive batsman and will surely have a larger immediate impact on the opposition if he gets going. That being said, he is no stranger to playing the long innings, with a good one-day skill set, which he displayed a few days ago when he swept some of India’s pacers away.

Taylor has waited a long time to be in this team and could really make a difference at the top for England.

Performance Indicators:

Batting – Innings: 8, Average: 36.00, Strike Rate: 76.36

#5 Farhaan Behardien

Farhaan Behardien is not the most loved man in South Africa at the moment, as his selection has come in at the cost of fast bowling all-rounder Ryan Mclaren.

In his two years as an ODI player, Behardien has found it difficult to get any substantial amount of batting time. Batting number 7 in a South African line-up can only promise so much.

Hence, his overall abilities have been shielded from the public for the most part. However, over the last few months, Behardien has been forced into bowling a lot more and will almost certainly feature as two parts of the fifth bowler, along with JP Duminy.

Behardien has the reputation of being a dependable player and a busy finisher. 19 matches as an ODI player should be a decent enough base for the right-hander to feel comfortable and come into his own. South Africa have a real strength in their pace attack, but a lot of the imporant fifth bowler’s responsibilities, especially with the batting powerplay rules, will fall on Behardien. This could be his transformation.

Performance Indicators:

Batting – Innings: 16, Average: 21.50, Strike Rate: 92.33

Bowling – Economy Rate: 4.91, Wickets: 9