Thrown in at the deep end
Players with little or no ODI experience who have been picked by Full Member countries for their 2015 World Cup squads
17-Jan-2015
Come the World Cup, will the cricket world be saluting Sheldon Cottrell? • WICB
Sheldon Cottrell
West Indies, fast bowler
ODIs: 0*
West Indies have left some high-profile names out of their World Cup squad, named a young captain, and brought in a couple of players who had not played a single ODI at the time of selection. One of them is Cottrell. Pacy and aggressive, if he gets into the playing XI, Cottrell will be hoping to get off to a better start in one-day international cricket than he did in Tests; he has played two Tests, both of which West Indies lost by an innings, in which he picked up two wickets at 98. His T20 credentials are stronger, though - he averages 22.87 in the six games he has got for West Indies. Oh, and watch out for the salutes the military man produces to celebrate his successes.
West Indies, fast bowler
ODIs: 0*
West Indies have left some high-profile names out of their World Cup squad, named a young captain, and brought in a couple of players who had not played a single ODI at the time of selection. One of them is Cottrell. Pacy and aggressive, if he gets into the playing XI, Cottrell will be hoping to get off to a better start in one-day international cricket than he did in Tests; he has played two Tests, both of which West Indies lost by an innings, in which he picked up two wickets at 98. His T20 credentials are stronger, though - he averages 22.87 in the six games he has got for West Indies. Oh, and watch out for the salutes the military man produces to celebrate his successes.
Jonathan Carter
West Indies, batsman
ODIs: 0
Carter is the other newcomer to the West Indies squad. Unlike Cottrell, he was picked in West Indies' World Cup 15 without having played a single international game at the time. A regular in the A team of late, Carter got his maiden call-up to the one-day side for West Indies' ongoing series in South Africa. He came with a List A average of 32.85 in 42 games, and two brisk hundreds: 133 off 132 balls for West Indies A against India A in September 2013, and 109 off 111 balls for Barbados against Trinidad & Tobago in February 2014.
West Indies, batsman
ODIs: 0
Carter is the other newcomer to the West Indies squad. Unlike Cottrell, he was picked in West Indies' World Cup 15 without having played a single international game at the time. A regular in the A team of late, Carter got his maiden call-up to the one-day side for West Indies' ongoing series in South Africa. He came with a List A average of 32.85 in 42 games, and two brisk hundreds: 133 off 132 balls for West Indies A against India A in September 2013, and 109 off 111 balls for Barbados against Trinidad & Tobago in February 2014.
Yasir Shah
Pakistan, legspinner
ODIs: 1
Twenty-eight-year-old Shah debuted in first-class cricket at 16. Nine years later he played his first international, an ODI against Zimbabwe. Three and a half years after that, he was picked in Pakistan's World Cup squad, before he had turned out a second time in 50-overs cricket. His ability to outsmart international batsmen cannot be questioned, given his 12 wickets at 17.25 against Australia in the UAE in late 2014. Pakistan will be hoping for more of the same, especially given Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez's bowling suspensions.
Pakistan, legspinner
ODIs: 1
Twenty-eight-year-old Shah debuted in first-class cricket at 16. Nine years later he played his first international, an ODI against Zimbabwe. Three and a half years after that, he was picked in Pakistan's World Cup squad, before he had turned out a second time in 50-overs cricket. His ability to outsmart international batsmen cannot be questioned, given his 12 wickets at 17.25 against Australia in the UAE in late 2014. Pakistan will be hoping for more of the same, especially given Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez's bowling suspensions.
Taijul Islam
Bangladesh, left-arm spinner
ODIs: 1
Taijul was only one ODI old at the time of his World Cup selection, but what a memorable ODI that was for Bangladesh. He snipped Zimbabwe's tail with three wickets in three balls to ensure they were routed for 128, and Bangladesh completed a 5-0 series sweep. That was the very first hat-trick by an ODI debutant. Taijul, it seemed, was making a habit of setting records early in his career: just a month earlier he had taken 8 for 38 in only his third Test, against Zimbabwe, to register the best Test innings figures ever for Bangladesh. What will he do at his first World Cup?
Bangladesh, left-arm spinner
ODIs: 1
Taijul was only one ODI old at the time of his World Cup selection, but what a memorable ODI that was for Bangladesh. He snipped Zimbabwe's tail with three wickets in three balls to ensure they were routed for 128, and Bangladesh completed a 5-0 series sweep. That was the very first hat-trick by an ODI debutant. Taijul, it seemed, was making a habit of setting records early in his career: just a month earlier he had taken 8 for 38 in only his third Test, against Zimbabwe, to register the best Test innings figures ever for Bangladesh. What will he do at his first World Cup?
Soumya Sarkar
Bangladesh, allrounder
ODIs: 1
Sarkar will be Bangladesh's other greenhorn at the World Cup. He too was picked with just one ODI to his name, and he will have the added pressure of having to fill a dual role if called upon in the playing XI - he is one in a rare breed of Bangladesh allrounder who bowls medium pace instead of spin, which might bump him into the XI despite his inexperience in Australian and New Zealand conditions.
Bangladesh, allrounder
ODIs: 1
Sarkar will be Bangladesh's other greenhorn at the World Cup. He too was picked with just one ODI to his name, and he will have the added pressure of having to fill a dual role if called upon in the playing XI - he is one in a rare breed of Bangladesh allrounder who bowls medium pace instead of spin, which might bump him into the XI despite his inexperience in Australian and New Zealand conditions.
Honourable mention: Ireland fast bowler Peter Chase was the only other player picked for the World Cup without having as yet debuted in ODIs.
*The numbers are based on the players' stats at the time of team selection.