Misbah ul Haq (Pakistan)
Misbah ul Haq may not command a place in Pakistani cricket folklore but, perversely, remains an indelible part of India's. That innings in the 2007 ICC World T20 final has never been accorded the recognition it truly deserves, simply because of the tragic nature of its denouement. Misbah's numbers may dictate that he is not placed in the same league of middle-order-lifeguards as Mohammad Yousuf or Younis Khan – and goodness knows Pakistan's batting has often needed rescuing – but his performances will significantly influence his country's progress in the World Cup. A great series in New Zealand augurs well for the 36-year-old, who — with Younis Khan seemingly out of form — is the only assured batsman in an otherwise unreliable top six.
Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
Angelo Mathews' match-winning 77 at the MCG late last year showed he was more than a jack-of-all-trades cricketer (fitting the Mark Ealham, Adam Hollioake, and Luke Wright template England appears to delight in encouraging). Mathews batted at number seven in his early days in the national side, but his occupation of the five or six slot now is a sign of the increased faith in his capabilities. The 23-year-old can hit big, and may turn out to be the finisher Sri Lanka so desperately craves. While he may not be required to send down 10 overs every match, Mathews is a crafty one-day bowler. He is deceptively quick, hitting the low 130s, and has enjoyed success with his slow cutters. With the added advantage of playing in familiar conditions, Mathews is sure to make his presence felt.
Ross Taylor (New Zealand)
Ross Taylor's ability has never been in doubt, but his run-scoring has been fitful. One bright innings is almost invariably followed by a slump. The right-hander demonstrated what he was capable of in the Guwahati match against India late last year (66, 69b, 4x3, 6x3), but that remained his only significant contribution of the series. Without a doubt the most gifted batsman in the New Zealand side, Taylor clears the boundary with ease but has never seemed fond of notching up big scores. The 26-year-old's next ODI will be his 100th; yet there are only three centuries to boast of. If Taylor wishes to see his side in the latter stages of the tournament, he has to perform.
Shane Watson (Australia)
Shane Watson was one of only a handful of Australian players to emerge from a cataclysmic Ashes campaign with any credibility. An exceptional performance in the subsequent one day series * 306 runs (scored at over a run a ball) in six matches at an average of 61.20, and six wickets at under five runs an over * established his status as Australia's most valuable player, a fact confirmed by his winning the Allan Border medal for the second year in a row. A hugely explosive batsman, the 29-year-old has now settled into his role as opener, a frustrating inability to convert starts into big scores for a large part of the summer notwithstanding. With his fine one-day bowling to boot, Watson is an undisputed all-rounder, integral to his side's plans. A bad World Cup for the Queenslander could mean an end to Australia's World Cup hegemony.
Hashim Amla (South Africa)
His batting may not appear particularly violent, but Indian fans will forever quail at the sight of Hashim Amla. The 27-year-old feasted on India's bowling in the recently concluded ODI series, accruing 250 runs in five matches. Amla has gloriously demonstrated that his grafter appellation in Test cricket is nothing more than a stale joke when playing the shorter version. A career average verging on 60, at a strike rate bettering that of team-mate AB de Villiers (although to be fair the latter has played nearly thrice as many matches), flies in the face of such theories. Consistent to a fault, Amla is almost certain to score heavily in the World Cup — he knows no other way.
Zaheer Khan (India)
A look at the bowlers in India's squad will reveal a simple truth: save for Zaheer Khan, no bowler is all that irreplaceable. At 32, the left-armer spearheads the country's new-ball attack and any injury to him will cost the team dear. Dropping a few yards of pace in favour of guile has not worked out all that bad for Zaheer, as evidenced by that manhandling of Graeme Smith throughout the South Africa tour. Without Zaheer to act as bulwark, Sreesanth, Ashish Nehra, and Munaf Patel are hardly names that inspire confidence in Indian supporters. A good tournament for *Zak' will automatically mean one for the entire team.
James Anderson (England)
James Anderson is, in many ways, England's Zaheer Khan. The pair share an ability to move the new ball both ways, reverse-swing the old ball, and are tasked with leading their team's fast bowlers. So it did not come as too much of a surprise when Anderson revealed he had picked up a trick or two off the latter. The Lancastrian enjoyed a phenomenal Ashes series, finishing the highest wicket taker by some distance (24 to Tim Bresnan's 17). Although Anderson featured in only four of England's seven matches in the one-day series humbling that followed, it was evident that his fortunes were inextricably linked with the team's.
