Top five all-rounders

Shahid Afridi - Pakistan
An aura of unpredictability always hangs around Shahid Afridi when he takes the cricket field. His swashbuckling batting and fiery legspin make him an exciting player in the shortest format of the game but there is always a chance for him to self-destruct, by throwing away his wicket at a crucial juncture or by means of wayward bowling. On his day, however, the 34-year-old former captain can win a match single-handedly.

Shane Watson - Australia
The highest run-scorer and player of the tournament in the last edition of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, Watson has the power to pummel any opposition attack and is particularly harsh against the spinners. The burly all-rounder's ability of hit the spinners out of the ground will make sure Australia do not get tied down in the middle overs against the slow bowlers. Watson's tight line and length is an added bonus.

Marlon Samuels - West Indies
Samuels has already proved his worth by digging West Indies out of a hole to the World Twenty20 title with a brilliant half-century against hosts Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2012. The classy stroke-player can play all the shots in the book and is almost unstoppable when he is on song with the bat. A part-time off-spinner who can fire in deliveries in the block hole, Samuels has great control in varying the pace and could be a vital weapon.

Yuvraj Singh  - India
The left-hander was the hero of India's Twenty20 World Cup victory in 2007 and was the player of the tournament during the home triumph in the 50-over format in 2011. One of the hardest hitters, as Stuart Broad found out when he was hit for six consecutive sixes in an over in 2007, Yuvraj can change the complexion of a match in the spate of a few deliveries. Yuvraj's gentle left-arm can also be very effective on the slow surfaces in Bangladesh.

Corey Anderson  - New Zealand
The new kid on the block, Anderson grabbed eyeballs when he broke the record for the fastest century with his 36-ball hundred against West Indies on the first day of 2014. The 23-year-old has played just eight Twenty20 matches but the left-hander's big-hitting ability is tailor-made for the format. He has a five-wicket haul with his left-arm medium pace bowling in the 50-over format and will be a decent bowling option.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt