ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Best all-rounders of the world

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Best all-rounders of the world

 With the World Cup coming up in 2 months, cricket teams would be looking to the best players in their sides to play up to their potential.

But every team needs one secret weapon - the one who can work on both sides, be it batting or bowling. Some of the best all-rounders will get to play in the upcoming World Cup where they can show their importance by changing the course of the match. Let us discuss the best six all-rounders of the world who are likely to change the course of the World Cup.

James Franklin of New Zealand: He may not be one of the best all-rounders in the world but James Franklin’s performance with the bat in the recently concluded series against India shows that he has it to be the best. He scored over 180 runs without being dismissed, hit the ball hard and then handled the ball as well. He may feature in a side that boasts all-rounders like Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori and Scott Styris, but to shine in the grounds where the mega event will take place, makes James Franklin number 6th on this list.

Chris Gayle of the West Indies: He can belt even the best of bowling attacks when he is in the mood, while can be the most defensive of batsmen if he wants. Back from a triple century against Sri Lanka away from home, he is in prime form. Take away the burden of captaincy from his shoulders, and that makes him an ideal number 5 on this list. This position is likely to make him angry, and nobody likes him when he is angry!

Angelo Matthews of Sri Lanka: He might be playing his first World Cup but Angelo Matthews’ batting as well as bowling has been a factor in the current form of the Sri Lankan side. He is not only a regular wicket-taker and partnership-breaker but whenever the need arises, he can bat and make others bat with him. His heroics against Australia in Australia this year are enough to get him number 4 on this list.

Abdur Razzaq of Pakistan: Pakistan cricket team has not had a good year, where they have lost more matches than they have won. But in whatever wins they have achieved this year, the contribution of Abdur Razzaq is immense. He opens the bowling at times, is a handy lower-order batsman and an excellent hitter of the cricket ball. He smashed Pakistan to an unbelievable victory against South Africa recently where his unbeaten century changed the course of the match and the series. He was Pakistan’s hero in the 1999 World Cup where he batted in the top-order while can be used anywhere in the batting order due to his selection of shots. On this list, he is number 3.

Jacques Kallis of South Africa: He has been there, done that. Amongst all the all-rounders in this list, he is perhaps the only one to have played in a World Cup in the subcontinent before. He was part of the squad of the 1996 World Cup and helped his side win the inaugural ICC Knock Out tournament (now known as ICC Champions Trophy) when it was held in Bangladesh in 1998. His form against Pakistan in the recently-concluded series gets him the second position on this list.

Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh: Don’t be surprised, the Bangladesh captain is easily the most underrated cricketer on the planet right now. He is equally at ease in Tests, One Dayers as well as Twenty20 cricket. Be it bowling first, batting second, defending a total or chasing one, he is always the go-to guy for his team. Incidentally, Bangladesh has won more matches - against better sides - under him than under any other captain. He is likely be retained for the mega-event after series victories over New Zealand and Zimbabwe, and his form gets him the top position on the coveted list.