ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018: 10 players to watch out for

The 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers start on March 3rd, 2018 in Zimbabwe. This tournament will decide which teams occupy the final two spots in 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

10 teams are competing in the tournament, divided into 2 groups of five. West Indies, Ireland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and the United Arab Emirates are in Group A. Group B comprises hosts Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Scotland, Hong Kong and Nepal. The two finalists of the tournament will qualify for the World Cup next year.

Aside from the World Cup spots, the Netherlands plus the three highest-finishing Associate sides will be granted ODI & T20I status until 2022. So, the five associates will be looking to do well in the tournament.

Let us look at the 10 players who would be crucial for their respective teams in the tournament:

#10 Assad Vala – Papua New Guinea

PNG are the least popular team in this tournament. They have never played against a full-member team yet. So, this tournament will be a significant one for them.

PNG’s best player is their captain, Assad Vala. Assad is an off-spinning all-rounder. His first-class average of 63 is a reflection of how good a player he is. He scored 399 runs in the WCL championship, the second highest for PNG. He also took 14 wickets at an average of 19.00, the best for a PNG bowler.

It may be difficult for PNG to qualify for the World Cup, but they would look to retain the ODI status which they had earned in the last edition of the Qualifiers. Assad has played an integral role in the team’s success in the past. The captain’s contribution would be crucial for the Barramundis here.

#9 Anshuman Rath – Hong Kong

Hong Kong have never played a World Cup before. But they would be hoping to improve their grade this time around. Anshuman Rath is one of the players who has stood out for the Hong Kong team in the last 2 years. The southpaw averages 58 with the bat in the 50-overs format.

Anshuman was the highest run scorer in the WCL championship, scoring 678 runs at an average of 75.33. He hit 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries in 10 innings. He is also a handy bowler, and can chip in with some overs in the middle.

Anshuman needs to step up if Hong Kong are to make a mark in this tournament.

#8 Roelof van der Merwe – Netherlands

With Afghanistan and Ireland earning Test status, the Dutch are now touted as the best associate team. They will look to upset the full members and qualify for the World Cup.

Roelof van der Merwe has been an integral member of the Netherlands team ever since he started playing for them in 2015. The former South African all-rounder is a great asset for the team. His batting at the death could make an impact in the tournament. His canny and accurate bowling would be useful on the slow pitches of Zimbabwe.

In the latest edition of the WCL Championship, van der Merwe had scored 275 runs at an average of 45.83 and took 13 wickets at an average of 28.84.

With his experience and the balance he provides to the team, van der Merwe will be the key man for the Netherlands team.

#7 Barry McCarthy – Ireland

Ireland have upset many big teams in previous World Cups. But, Ireland would need to be at their best in the tournament to qualify for the World Cup this time around.

The young speedster Barry McCarthy would be the player to watch out for in the Irish side. He rose from the U19 side to the senior team setup and has already taken 41 wickets in 19 ODIs. No one has taken more wickets for Ireland since he made his debut. His strike rate of 24.00 is the best for an Irish player in ODI cricket. He is athletic in the field and a brilliant bowler at the death.

The Irish team would want McCarthy to come up with pacy, aggressive, wicket-taking spells to help Ireland qualify for the World Cup.

#6 Sandeep Lamichhane – Nepal

Nepal are the only team in the tournament to have never played ODI cricket so far. The player to watch out for from the South Asian team is the 17-year-old leg spinner, Sandeep Lamichhane.

Sandeep has already bagged T20 contracts in the Indian Premier League and Carribean Premier League and has earned praise from Australian greats Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. The Nepalese leg-spinner was the highest wicket-taker in the WCL Division 2 last month with 17 wickets at an average of 10.35 and an economy of 3.23. He was also named the player of the tournament.

#5 Rohan Mustafa – United Arab Emirates

UAE are attempting to reach the World Cup for the third time, after winning the WCL Division 2 last month. Captain Rohan Mustafa has led them from the front. He has transformed the team ever since being appointed the captain a year ago. The southpaw has provided direction to the team in transition, with his aggressive captaincy.

Rohan can give the team a good start with the bat. With his off-spin, he is capable of providing crucial breakthroughs. He also regularly takes the challenge of bowling at the death. He scored 2 fifties and took 13 wickets at an average of 12.38 and a miserly economy rate of 2.98 in the WCL Division 2.

The all-rounder provides balance to the team and would want to step up for the big tournament.

#4 Kyle Coetzer – Scotland

Scotland, the defending champions, are led by Kyle Coetzer. Coetzer is one of the greatest batsmen to have come from an associate nation. He averages over 43 in ODI cricket and has 4 centuries to his name. He scored 156 against Bangladesh in the 2015 World Cup and won the man of the match, despite finishing on the losing side. He has taken over the captaincy after Mommsen’s exit and has led the team from the front.

Coetzer scored 3 centuries in the WCL Championship, the most by any player, and averaged 52 with the bat.

#3 Sikandar Raza – Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, the hosts, are playing for the first time in the Qualifiers since becoming full members. They won the tournament in each of their 3 previous appearances. Sikandar Raza is one player who will have vital contributions to make in Zimbabwe's bid to qualify for the World Cup next year.

In the last 2 years, Raza has scored 754 runs at an average of 44.35. He has scored 7 fifties, while no other Zimbabwean has scored more than 3. His off-spin comes as a bonus, as he can provide good support to Cremer and Williams.

The Pakistan-born all-rounder has performed very well in home conditions and his experience will be crucial for Zimbabwe.

#2 Rashid Khan – Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s steadfast rise in international cricket was boosted by the emergence of Rashid Khan. The Afghan teen sensation is set to become the youngest captain in international cricket history at the World Cup Qualifiers. He has already set the cricket world on fire. No one has taken more wickets than him in ODI cricket since his debut. He has taken 86 wickets at an average of 13.26 and an economy of 3.82.

Rashid has already risen to the top of both ODI and T20I bowlers rankings. He is arguably the most feared spin bowler in limited overs cricket at the moment. His accurate spin bowling and the efficient usage of variations have made it difficult for opposing batsmen to cope with.

There is no doubt Afghanistan will qualify for the World Cup if Rashid delivers what he is capable of.

#1 Jason Holder – West Indies

Jason Holder will lead West Indies in their maiden appearance at the World Cup Qualifiers. A reliable batsman and a steady medium-pacer, Holder was made the captain of the team at the age of 23. The West Indian team, plagued by issues with player availability, struggled under Holder’s captaincy in the 2015 World Cup.

However, he has always performed his role as an all-rounder well. He bowls aggressively and makes valuable contributions with the bat lower down the order in a weak batting line-up. He has scored 800 runs and taken 49 wickets in the last 3 years. No West Indian has scored more runs or taken more wickets in this period.