World Cup 2019: Team-wise one weak player in the tournament

2019 World Cup is the biggest sporting event in this year, and the crowd is eager to witness miracles. The advent of slam-bang cricket has definitely reduced the sheen of 50-over format, but time and again it has produced some masterclass. This year in England the rescue forces, 10 teams are expected to save the grace of One-Day cricket with their audacious skills. The 12th edition of the most celebrated white-ball event is just three weeks away, and teams are ready to rumble in the field. The squads of the participants have been finalized. Most of the troops consist of proven match-winners and they are hopeful of helping the team lift the trophy. Even though every side looks balanced there are some chinks in the armour. Here are the players who can be considered as a weak link of their respective sides: 1) Noor Ali Zadran (Afghanistan) Noor Ali Zadran. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) The right-hander is a cricketer with immense experience, as he has been playing for Afghanistan from the last 10 years. Noor Ali Zadran has been a guiding light for the nation. He has played 47 ODIs scoring over 1100 runs at an average of 25.51. As the Asian team is playing only its second World Cup, Zadran has been added to the squad as a back-up opener. Zadran is one of the players who played well in their maiden ICC T20 World Cup in 2009 by stroking a half-century against India. Though he is a skilled player he has not been in good form in the last couple of years. The right-hander has been averaging in single digits in his last 3 series. Zadran can be considered in the playing XI if one of the regular openers fail, but his strike rate of 63 doesn’t inspire much either. 2) Alex Carey (Australia) Alex Carey. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images) The keeper-batsman from Loxton is the current vice-captain of the Australian team in white ball cricket. Carey made his debut last year against England, and since then he has been a regular in the ODI set-up for Kangaroos. He has played 19 matches mustering 429 runs at an average of 31. Carey has excellent keeping skills which got him the ticket to England. Alex Carey has never played an impact knock which will be a matter of concern for the team. In his ODI career, he has scored just one fifty which is a worrying sign. He has not been in good nick, as he has made just 183 runs in the last 10 games. Carey’s strike rate is around 83 which is not feasible for a lower-order batsman, as he may have to play cameos batting at seven on flat pitches in England. 3) Abu Jayed (Bangladesh) Abu Jayed. (Photo Source: Instagram) Abu Jayed was a surprise pick by Bangladesh selectors, as he was rewarded for his red-ball heroics. The left-arm quickie from Sylhet can generate good movement with the new ball, and he can provide important break-throughs in powerplays. He has played 55 List-A matches in which he has taken 65 wickets at an economy rate of 5.46. Jayed has been included in the World Cup squad as a back-up pacer. The speedster was selected over Taskin Ahmed so, there will be a huge pressure on him to prove his worth. Abu Jayed has no experience of playing ODIs and in a multi-nation tournament, it can haunt him during the crunch stages if he plays. He has played a couple of T20Is and there he leaked runs at a rate of 11. Currently, he has been playing for his domestic side Prime DSC and in one of the games, he conceded 83 runs in 10 overs which is not ideal for a regular bowler. 4) Liam Dawson (England) Liam Dawson. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The Hampshire cricketer has been plying his trade all over the world, and he is a batting all-rounder who can provide flexibility in the line-up. He made his ODI debut way back in 2016 and has been around the team recently. He has played 3 ODIs scoring 14 runs at an average of 82.35. The three lions have picked Dawson in the squad because of his experience of playing in the English conditions for a long time. He has always failed to deliver on his promise, and his List-A record proves it as he has scored just 3529 runs in 160 games despite being a regular in the side. The right-hander’s strike rate of 90 gives an idea of his lack of hitting abilities. England will utilize him if there are multiple casualties in the side, but it will break the balance of Eoin Morgan-led side completely. 5) Vijay Shankar (India) Vijay Shankar. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Vijay Shankar is a high-quality batsman who can play aggressively and defensively according to the needs of a team. He made his ODI debut earlier in the year against Australia and has played a couple of good innings when the side was under the pump. He has played 9 ODIs in which he has accumulated 165 runs at an average of 33. Apart from his batting, his bowling and fielding skills are also up to the mark, and that prompted the selectors to pick him for the event ahead of Ambati Rayudu. Due to his recent success, the cricketer from Tamil Nadu is touted to be India’s No.4 in the World Cup which is a gamble of a higher order. Vijay Shankar has never played an international game in England where even the best have struggled. He has an average of 36 in List-A matches which surely is not enough for a batsman playing in the middle-order. He has been going through a rough patch in the IPL 2019, and if his poor form continues it will be a headache for the Men in Blue. 6) Tom Blundell (New Zealand) Tom Blundell of New Zealand (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) The Kiwi keeper-batsman is a cricketer who can play attacking shots from the word go. He has represented the Black Caps in Test cricket and even stroked a ton on his debut. Recently, Tom Blundell scored a century and a half-century in the same match for his domestic side Wellington which shows his potential with the bat. His glovework is also good and that’s why he has been picked by the selectors as a back-up keeper. Tom is a hard-hitting batsman but he has never played an ODI for the Kane Williamson-led side which is not ideal while going for tournaments like World Cup. His List-A record is very poor and averages only 24 in 40 games. He got the nod despite Tim Seifert doing well which has surprised many. Blundell will get the chance if the regular keeper gets injured, but his strike rate of 78 can harm the tactics of the side. 7) Dwaine Pretorius (South Africa) Dwaine Pretorius. (Photo by Thinus Maritz/Gallo Images/Getty Images) Dwaine Pretorius is a capable all-rounder, and in his limited opportunities he has done a decent job. The cricketer from Transvaal province can generate movement on helpful surfaces and can tonk the ball a long way. He has represented the South African team 19 times in ODIs and has scored 132 runs and has picked up 24 wickets. He is selected in the squad as a fast bowling all-rounder. In his short ODI career, Pretorius has batted only 8 times so he may not be ready to take up the role completely. Till now he has bowled most of his overs in middle-overs so he is a one-dimensional bowler. He is an injury-prone player, and of late his form has not been good for his domestic side Highveld Lions. Pretorius will be a regular in the playing XI if Andile Phehlukwayo fails to deliver, but his record in white-ball cricket is not illustrious. 8) Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka) Dimuth Karunaratne. (Photo by Rob Jefferies/Getty Images) Dimuth Karunaratne is a hard-working player and from the last couple of years, he has been the batting mainstay of the Sri Lankan Test side. He has been appointed as the captain for the World Cup. The left-hander is a calm-headed personality, and he also has the experience of playing 120 List-A games. He is a cricketer who takes on challenges, and that’s why selectors have trusted upon him. Karunaratne is a solid batsman in Test cricket but his ODI record is below par as he has an average of 15 in 17 games. Recently, the team won a red ball series in South Africa under his captaincy which requires different skillsets. He averages 34 in his List-A record which tells the story. His strike rate in ODIs is 76 and he lacks power game which is very much a necessity in the shorter format. 9) Mohammad Hasnain (Pakistan) Mohammad Hasnain. (Photo Source: Twitter) The greenhorn from Sindh is an exciting talent because of his ability to generate raw pace. Mohammad Hasnain caught the attention of the world when he bowled the fastest ball in the 2019 Pakistan Super League. The right-arm fast bowler won the Man of the Match in the final where he took 3 wickets in his spell by giving away just 30 runs. Hasnain has been picked as a surprise package by the selectors. The youngster can flourish but in a tournament like the World Cup, everything can go downhill quickly which can affect his confidence. He played 3 ODI games against Australia earlier in the year and took 2 wickets which is too small a sample size to judge him. He leaked runs at a rate of 6.9 and even in his List-A career, he has an economy rate of 6.20. Hasnain can crumble under pressure due to his lack of international experience. 10) Fabian Allen (Windies) Fabian Allen. (Photo Source: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images) The left-arm spinner from Jamaica is an exuberant cricketer who can bowl economically in the middle-overs. Fabian Allen is a decent lower order batsman, as he has an average of 20 in List-A career. Till now he has played 4 ODIs for the island nation but has remained wicketless in all the games. The selectors have picked Allen as their back-up spinner, and it will be a great opportunity for the youngster to play in a World Cup. Allen’s selection in the squad can be a huge mistake as there were other tweakers who were experienced than him. He bowls tight lines, but his bowling lacks penetration which is clear from his List-A record where he has picked just 6 wickets in 13 games. Even with a bat in his hand, he has not played a single cameo down the order, and his strike rate is 48 in ODIs. Windies have opted for Nurse as their premier spinner but if he fails the record of Allen is not worthy enough to include him in the playing XI. Get the latest Cricket News and updates from the World Cup 2019, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.

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World Cup 2019: Team-wise one weak player in the tournament

These players are talented but their lack of experience to handle pressure might cost the teams.

8) Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)

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