HOW THE 14 NATIONS SHAPE UP FOR THE CRICKET WORLD CUP
AFGHANISTAN
Squad: Mohammad Nabi (capt), Afsar Zazai, Usman Ghani, Aftab Alam, Asghar Stanikzai, Dawlat Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hasan, Javed Ahmadi, Najibullah Zadran, Mirwais Ashraf, Nasir Jamal, Nawroz Mangal, Shapoor Zadran, Samiullar Shenwari
Best World Cup finish: N/A
Key player: Mohammad Nabi. The skipper’s offspin and leadership will be vital in the war-torn nation’s maiden World Cup.
AUSTRALIA
Squad: Michael Clarke (capt), George Bailey, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Shane Watson
Best World Cup finish: Winners (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007)
Key player: Steve Smith. The co-hosts have no shortage of match-winners in their squad, but none are in quite the same form as Smith.
BANGLADESH
Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Taijul Islam, and Arafat Sunny
Best World Cup finish: Super Eights (2007)
Key player: Shakib Al Hasan. Superstar status in his homeland and has shown his white-ball wares in the Big Bash League. The allrounder will almost certainly need to fire with both bat and ball if Bangladesh are to advance to the quarter-finals.
ENGLAND
Squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes
Best World Cup finish: Runners-up (1979, 1987, 1992)
Key player: James Anderson. The English spearhead recovered from a knee injury to take part in the recent tri-series and quickly showed how much he likes local conditions, snaring 4-18 against India in Brisbane.
INDIA
Squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Stuart Binny
Best World Cup finish: Winners (1983, 2011)
Key player: Rohit Sharma. Scored an ODI hundred against Australia last month and last year smashed a record-breaking 264 off 173 balls against Sri Lanka.
IRELAND
Squad: William Porterfield (capt), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andrew McBrine, John Mooney, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young
Best World Cup finish: Super Eights (2007)
Key player: Craig Young. The 24-year-old paceman has been mentored by Craig McDermott in the past. Took five wickets on ODI debut and should worry batsmen with his pace and bounce on Australian pitches.
NEW ZEALAND
Squad: Brendon McCullum (capt), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Luke Ronchi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Dan Vettori, Kane Williamson
Best World Cup finish: Semi-finals (1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007, 2011)
Key player: Brendon McCullum. Became skipper in 2012 when Ross Taylor was controversially sacked and has since helped turn New Zealand around with his aggressive batting and captaincy.
PAKISTAN
Squad: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed, Junaid Khan (subject to fitness), Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah, Ehsan Adil
Best World Cup finish: Winners (1992)
Key player: Misbah-ul Haq. Equalled the record for fastest Test century when he blasted a ton from 56 balls against Australia last year. The 40-year-old will retire from one-day cricket after the tournament.
SCOTLAND
Squad: Preston Mommsen (capt), Kyle Coetzer, Richie Berrington, Frederick Coleman, Matthew Cross, Joshua Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif, Robert Taylor, Iain Wardlaw
Best World Cup finish: Pool stage (1999, 2007)
Key player: Hamish Gardiner. Brisbane-born batsman who moved to Edinburgh and made his international debut against Australia. Will have little trouble adjusting to local conditions.
SOUTH AFRICA
Squad: AB de Villiers (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn
Best World Cup finish: Semi-finals (1992, 1999, 2007)
Key player: JP Duminy. Has played some of his best cricket in Australia. The allrounder was sorely missed by the Proteas during the five-match series here last November.
SRI LANKA
Squad: Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake
Best World Cup finish: Winners (1996)
Key player: Lasith Malinga. The super slinger missed the side’s recent tour of New Zealand due to an ankle injury, but officials are confident he will play in the World Cup.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Squad: Mohammed Tauqir (capt), Khurram Khan, Swapnil Patil, Saqlain Haider, Amjad Javed, Shaiman Anwar, Amjad Ali, Nasir Aziz, Rohan Mustafa, Manjula Guruge, Andri Berenger, Fahad Al Hashmi, Muhammad Naveed, Kamran Shahzad, Krishna Karate
Best World Cup finish: Pool stage (1996)
Key player: Mohammad Naveed. The paceman looked potent during the side’s tour of Australia last year, snaring 4-26 against South Australia.
WEST INDIES
Squad: Jason Holder (capt), Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Nikita Miller, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor
Best World Cup finish: Winners (1975, 1979)
Key player: Chris Gayle. Inconsistent, but on his day can take apart any bowling attack in the world.
ZIMBABWE
Squad: Elton Chigumbura (capt), Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Solomon Mire, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams
Best World Cup finish: Super Sixes (1999, 2003)
Key player: Brendan Taylor. No stranger to performing on the big stage, the wicketkeeper smacked an unbeaten 60 to pilot his side to victory over Australia in the 2007 World Twenty20.
