Five unsung heroes who could rise to prominence

Despite their undoubted ability to influence a match, these players fly into this year's Cricket World Cup slightly under the radar.
Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan)
If there's one lesser-light of the Pakistan batting line-up who won't mind batting in the far-flung regions on his side's schedule, it's Ahmed Shehzad. So far locations as disparate as Hamilton, Gros Islet and Port Elizabeth have been witness to his century-making ways at ODI level and the 23-year-old now boasts six of them to go with 10 half-centuries. Pakistan are now at their best when Shehzad downs the anchor and lets those around him launch for quick runs. Shehzad should be that man for Pakistan now and well into the future.
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
There's no greater signifier of cricket's haves and have-nots than Shakib Al Hasan's now annual appearance in the Big Bash League T20 competition. It's the same lack of research and respect from opposition players that has seen the spinning all-rounder gather almost 4,000 runs (six centuries, 26 fifties) and 182 wickets across 141 ODIs, many of them unseen by western eyes, but not shrewd T20 list managers.
In the context of Bangladesh's chances in any given match, Shakib's influence is always central and he delivers more often than not. The national captaincy was thrust upon him at the age of 21 and he was at the helm during their breakthrough Test win against West Indies, but freed from that extra burden now he offers composure and class with both bat and ball. Crucially, those Big Bash appearances have also given him a familiarity with the conditions he'll face during this World Cup.
JP Duminy (South Africa)
It's a little hard to be noticed in a batting line-up containing AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla, but JP Duminy has never been one for extravagant displays. With 134 ODIs under his belt, Duminy is closer to under-appreciated than unsung, but there was no greater measure of his calming influence with bat and ball in the 50-over arena than South Africa's struggles without him last November against Australia.
Mitchell McClenaghan (New Zealand)
You wouldn't exactly be going out on a limb to say that a left-arm paceman named Mitchell might take this World Cup by storm but the least-celebrated member of the brethren, New Zealand's McClenaghan variety, is building the type of one-day international bowling CV that statisticians drool over. McClenaghan might actually be the best international limited overs bowler you've never noticed.
Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan)
There is no team at this tournament with a backstory as mind-boggling as Afghanistan, who have risen as a cricketing nation against considerable odds and with no small amount of hard work. The formative years of their captain, Mohammad Nabi, are illustrative of that struggle. Born in a refugee camp in Peshawar where his family had fled during the escalation of war in Afghanistan, he learned the game with a stick and plastic bags wrapped into the shape of a ball.  
Nabi is an off-spinning all-rounder with a knack for delivering when it matters and in recent times he's piloted his side to wins against Ireland, Scotland, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, giving hope that they might cause a surprise in their tournament opener against the latter.      — theguardian