5 players to watch out for in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers

Given the fact that the most awaited cricketing spectacle - the ICC Cricket World Cup, is just over 15 months away, it is quite important to know which of the aspiring nations will join the Super Eight. Out of the 10 sides in the Qualifiers, only two will join the premier event. Should an outfit make it to the event, their players will have to hit the ground running with some top quality consistent cricket, as the competition is heated up and stiff.

Some experienced campaigners will have to rise to the occasion and carry their nation to the summit. Here are five players to watch out for in the Qualifiers.

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#1 Craig Ervine(Zimbabwe)

Starting off with a Zimbabwean - a reliable, rock solid middle-order batsman who can set the field on fire is Craig Ervine. The left-hand batsman started his career in 2010 and earned a call up for the limited overs team. Since then, he has gone about his business quite phenomenally. He boasts of an average of 32.63 with 1991 runs in 74 ODIs.

His main attributes include a good temperament, the ability to release pressure with a flashy shot and most importantly, he is a busy player who keeps the scoreboard ticking. Also, he has a legitimate amount of experience. The southpaw has featured in two World Cups before and has fairly impressed.

Most importantly, he punishes sides outside the top eight. In the 2015 WC, he averaged 47 against the teams that will feature in the upcoming Qualifiers. If Zimbabwe have to beat the likes of Afghanistan, this man needs to step up.

#2 Mujeeb Ur Rahman(Afghanistan)

One must be joking if they speak about a 16-year-old who is determined to play the World Cup. However, that is exactly the case. With an easy-looking run up, a quick action and an armoury of tricks up his sleeves, the teenager Mujeeb Zadran is all set to set the stage on fire.

He earned his limited overs cap in 2017 and played his first game against Ireland. In just eight matches, the off spinner has 19 wickets to his name, including a 5-wicket haul, which he picked up on the 16th of February this year. Zadran is quite a miser when it comes to his bowling, as he bowls with an unreal economy of 4.30. To boost his career path further, he will also play for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL this year and as stated by his coach Virender Sehwag, he is their X-Factor.

If he gets his carrom ball right in the Qualifiers, he could run riot and guide his side to the UK next year.

#3 Kemar Roach(West Indies)

It is quite disappointing to see that the two time World Champions are not in the top eight, but the boys from the Caribbean will have to focus on getting there by taking each step as it comes. Starting off as the favourites in the Qualifiers, they will rely on the services of speedster Kemar Roach to guide them through.

He is an impeccable new ball bowler, who mixes his express pace with the right lengths and extracts bounce, despite being short. In 67 ODIs, he has chipped in with 99 wickets, at an average of 28.10. The pacer bowls with zip and has tons of experience, which only means that he can do better than the others in crunch situations. Roach has had too many obstacles in his career, but will go down on the team sheet as their most lethal weapon with the ball.

#4 Ben Cooper(Netherlands)

A T20 specialist, Ben Cooper will be a crucial member of the Holland middle order. The left-handed batter will be looking to make amends for his absence in the side recently by putting up some match winning performances.

He likes to get his eye in, understand the bounce and the pace of the pitch, and once he is set, the explosive Dutchman loves to take the attack to the opposition. He possesses fine footwork with a powerful hitting ability and is a certain match winner.

Cooper likes to play the big shots and favors the mid wicket area. If he can construct and play out a couple of long innings in the Qualifiers, Netherlands will undoubtedly progress to the Super Six and beyond.

#5 Rashid Khan(Afghanistan)

Most certainly, Rashid Khan is one of the hottest properties in world cricket at the moment. The leggie has a tricky action that forces the batsman to draw out of the crease. He hits the right lengths and most importantly, bowls at just the right pace. His googlies and the flippers are his biggest weapons, apart from his stock ball.

Speaking of his dimensions and outreach, Rashid is a pivotal figure for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Adelaide Strikers, Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Kabul Eagles, which clearly implies how talented and effective he is, all around the world. In just 37 ODIs, he has 86 wickets with an average of 13.26 and an outstanding economy of 3.82. The 19-year-old is handy with the bat too, as he has a couple of fifties and will undoubtedly be Afghanistan's trump card in the event.