5 best players from the World T20 qualifiers

Tamim Iqbal scored a match-winning hundred in Bangladesh’s must-win game against OmanThe qualifying matches for the Super 10 stage of the ICC World T20 2016 saw some marvellous performances from the players of the Associate Members as well as the Full Members of the ICC. Played across two Groups, Group A and Group B, the qualifying round included Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands, Oman, Hong Kong, and Afghanistan, with one team from each group to advance to the Super 10s of the tournament.After 12 action-filled games, Bangladesh and Afghanistan made it to the next round and would join Group 2 (containing India, Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan) and Group 1 (containing West Indies, England, Sri Lanka and South Africa) respectively to round off the Super 10s.Regarded as an excellent opportunity for the players from the emerging cricketing nations to showcase their talent, the qualifying round lived up to its expectations, with several players making a statement for themselves as well as for their teams to be given further opportunities against the top sides.Here, we take a look at the five best players from the World T20 qualifiers.

#1 Tamim Iqbal- Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal’s return to the Bangladeshi side has further solidified their top order

Bangladesh’s swashbuckling opening batsman, Tamim Iqbal, has regained top form just at the right time with three excellent knocks in consecutive matches, thereby solidifying Bangladesh’s top order.

Iqbal, who returned from a paternity leave during the fag end of the Asia Cup T20 2016 was expected to carry the mantle for Bangladesh, as far as the batting department was concerned, and he did just that with knocks of 83, 47, and 103.

These knocks helped Bangladesh qualify for the Super 10 stage, and they are now set to take on Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and India in their World t20 campaign.

The left-hander also scored the first century of the ICC World T20 2016, when he scored 103 off 63 balls with 10 fours and 5 sixes in a must-win game against Oman.

In total, he accumulated 233 runs from 3 innings with 1 fifty and 1 hundred at a staggering strike-rate of 158.50.

#2 Mohammad Shahzad- Afghanistan

Mohammad Shahzad’s brisk starts have helped Afghanistan build their innings

Afghanistan, arguably, have been the most impressive side in the tournament so far, and the helm of their success has been a short burly man, who bats at the top of the order.

Mohammad Shahzad’s attacking batting, and the starts that he has provided his team with has gone a long way in shaping their course in the tournament, and he would be the man to look out for in main round as well.

Shahzad has accumulated 133 runs from 3 innings at an average of 47.33 and a strike-rate of 139.21 with one half-century so far, but more than these numbers, the way he has scored runs right from the word go should be something to think about for all bowling attacks that are yet to bowl to him.

With the Indian captain MS Dhoni being his idol, Shahzad’s style of play is not very dissimilar to Dhoni, as his batting is more about power and muscle than about placement and finesse.

His ability to take on bowlers right from the very first ball, assisted by his magnificent hand-eye combination makes him a lethal opening batsman.

To add to that, Shahzad has already accumulated 1287 runs in his T20I career at an average of 30.64 and a strike-rate of 136.04 which is exceptional given that Afghanistan are an associate member of the ICC and play a fewer number of international matches as compared to the full-member nations.

#3 Mohammad Nabi- Afghanistan

Mohammad Nabi has emerged as a useful all-rounder for Afghanistan

Another revelation for the Afghanistan cricket team discovered through the qualifying round has been their former captain Mohammad Nabi who has impressed one and all with his all-round capabilities.

He took a 4-wicket haul in his team's second game against Hong Kong to set up the victory, while in a must-win encounter against Zimbabwe, he combined with Samiullah Shenwari for a 98-run partnership that took Afghanistan from a position of trouble (63/4 in 8 overs) to a position of strength (161/5 in 18.4 overs), and eventual victory.

Nabi scored 52 runs from 32 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes while also picking up a wicket in the 2^nd innings.

His hitting prowess and the ability to clear the fence with ease can come in very handy for Afghanistan in the main round as well while his slow right-arm off breaks might trouble the batsmen on slow, spinner-friendly Indian pitches.

Nabi ended up with 70 runs to his name from 3 innings and also picked 6 wickets as a decent economy rate of 5.54.

#4 Shakib-Al-Hasan- Bangladesh

Shakib-Al-Hasan’s experience when it comes to Indian conditions may come in handy for Bangladesh

If Tamim Iqbal has starred with the bat for Bangladesh so far, it has been Shakib-Al-Hasan who has done so with the ball. The veteran Bangladeshi all-rounder may not have clicked with the bat in the three games that he has played, but he has more than made up for it with his 6 wickets.

He took 2 wickets against Netherlands in Bangladesh’s tournament opener, and after the second game against Ireland was washed out due to rain, he grabbed 4/15 against Oman in yet another rain-curtailed game to help Bangladesh win and reach the Super 10 stage.

His economy rate of 6.28 has been good, considering the T20 format, and he could prove out to be a vital player in the Bangladeshi setup given that the conditions in India are set to favour the spinners with the turn that the pitches have on offer.

#5 Rashid Khan- Afghanistan

Rashid Khan’s leg-breaks have been very effective for Afghanistan so far in the tournament

Such has been Afghanistan’s performance in the qualifying round that if there had been a combined XI to be picked from the qualifiers, Afghanistan would have had the maximum number of participants.

Rashid Khan, a 17-year-old leg-spinner has been another star in the making for the Asian nation and has impressed one and all with 6 wickets from 3 matches at an economy rate of 5.16.

His stock delivery, the leg-break, as well as his variations, the top-spinner, the googly et al, have been very hard to comprehend with, as was seen during these three games.

He picked up wickets in each of the three games that Afghanistan played, taken 2 wickets against Scotland in their tournament opener, 1 wicket against Hong Kong, and 3 crucial wickets against Zimbabwe in a must-win encounter.

Rashid has been successful in breaking partnerships at crucial junctures of the game, and that has made him the go-to man for the Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai.