LONDON , United Kingdom, Jul 7 – With the Cricket World Cup heading into the semi-finals, the tournament is set for a dramatic conclusion featuring some of the game’s finest talents.

But the group stage also introduced the world to several vibrant young talents set to dominate cricket for years to come.

Here, AFP Sport looks at five players who have announced their arrival as potential stars:

Nicolas Pooran (West Indies)

Nicolas Pooran finally showcased the talent he has promised to unleash for so long as the batsman finished as the West Indies’ leading run scorer.

The 23-year-old made a duck on his ODI debut before the World Cup but went on to play each of the team’s nine group games, scoring 367 runs at an average of 52.42.

West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick had seen Pooran’s potential five years ago when he scored 143 in an Under-19 World Cup match against Australia.

“I’ve always believed in Nicholas. I’m not surprised by his talent. What’s surprised me is it’s taken as long as this for him to come through,” Estwick said.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)

Pakistan paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi enjoyed a breakthrough World Cup campaign, prompting Wasim Akram to hail the teenager as a future star.

The teenager recorded Pakistan’s best-ever World Cup bowling figures with a scintillating spell of 6-35 in Friday’s win over Bangladesh at Lord’s.

He became the youngest player to take a five-wicket haul at the World Cup at 19 years and 90 days, finishing the tournament with 16 wickets in five games.

“Definitely, Shaheen is one for the future, a beacon of light for the next generation of fast bowlers,” Wasim told AFP.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)

Afghanistan may have left the World Cup winless after losing all nine matches, but the minnows could take heart from the rise of teenage off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Mujeeb took just seven wickets in the tournament, but the 18-year-old tormented batsmen with his crafty use of flight and variation, marking him out as one to watch.

Rashid Khan, his senior by two years, remains Afghanistan’s number one spinner, but Mujeeb is coming up fast, as he proved with a superb spell of 3-39 against Bangladesh in Southampton.

Avishka Fernando (Sri Lanka)

When Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne reflected on a frustrating campaign for the 1996 champions, the promising form of fearless batsman Avishka Fernando put a smile back on his face.

The 21-year-old scored 203 runs in only four matches in the tournament, including 104 against the West Indies and 49 in Sri Lanka’s shock win over England.

“We’ve had a few positives out of this World Cup,” Karunaratne said. “Avishka Fernando is playing really well.

“He showed what he can do, he can produce runs for Sri Lanka. He’s one of the future stars.”

Jofra Archer (England)

Barbados-born Jofra Archer has repaid England’s faith with a dazzling breakthrough in his first major tournament.

Archer only became eligible to play for England earlier this year and was fast-tracked into the team just before the World Cup in a bid to make the most of the paceman’s natural gifts.

The 24-year-old’s combination of speed and accuracy made him unplayable at times.

He taken 17 wickets in England’s run to the semi-finals, including a run of four successive three-wicket hauls, leading many to mark him down as the spearhead of his country’s attack for years to come.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Chager wins third career Safari Rally title

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Madagascar keep dream run alive with shootout win over DR Congorn

rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn USA beat Netherlands to retain World Cuprn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Marquez wins seventh consecutive German MotoGPrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Egyptians light up stadium in tribute to fallen fansrn

rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Pogba included in Man Utd squad for pre-season tourrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Fallout runs deep as Salah, Egypt flop at AFCONrn

rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn 9 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Stars AFCON last 16 hopes quashed by Beninrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Walcott leads Everton stars in Kenyarn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Everton making Brazilians cry with joy at Coparn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Bwire stars as Sharks beat Everton in Nairobirn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Matasi one of the best-Ethiopia's Mebraturn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn All in or nothing as Stars face Senegalrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Harambee Stars shift focus to CHAN qualifiersrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Pienaar, Osman tip Sharks to overcome Everton challengern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn rn rn rn Senegal dim Starsu2019 hopes of AFCON last 16rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Madagascar keep dream run alive with shootout win over DR Congo

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

USA beat Netherlands to retain World Cup

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Marquez wins seventh consecutive German MotoGP

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Egyptians light up stadium in tribute to fallen fans

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Pogba included in Man Utd squad for pre-season tour

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL EGYPT WIN 2019 AFCON AT HOME?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Fallout runs deep as Salah, Egypt flop at AFCON

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic star on ‘Manic Monday’

rn rn rn Gamern rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Egypt FA chief sacks coach, then quits after shock AFCON exit

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Egypt eliminated by South Africa in AFCON

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Nigeria eliminate holders Cameroon in AFCON

rn rn rn AFCON 2019rn rn Saturday, 6th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Madagascar keep dream run alive with shootout win over DR Congorn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn USA beat Netherlands to retain World Cuprn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Chager wins third career Safari Rally titlern rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Bwire stars as Sharks beat Everton in Nairobirn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Marquez wins seventh consecutive German MotoGPrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tStars AFCON last 16 hopes quashed by Beninrn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Tuesday, 2nd Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tWalcott leads Everton stars in Kenyarn

rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 6th Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tEverton making Brazilians cry with joy at Coparn

rn Footballrn rn Monday, 1st Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tBwire stars as Sharks beat Everton in Nairobirn

rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tMatasi one of the best-Ethiopia's Mebraturn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Friday, 5th Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tAll in or nothing as Stars face Senegalrn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Monday, 1st Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tHarambee Stars shift focus to CHAN qualifiersrn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Wednesday, 3rd Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tPienaar, Osman tip Sharks to overcome Everton challengern

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Jul 2019rn rn rn t

rn tSenegal dim Starsu2019 hopes of AFCON last 16rn

rn AFCON 2019rn rn Monday, 1st Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Madagascar keep dream run alive with shootout win over DR Congorn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn USA beat Netherlands to retain World Cuprn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Chager wins third career Safari Rally titlern rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn ALEX ISABOKErn Bwire stars as Sharks beat Everton in Nairobirn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Marquez wins seventh consecutive German MotoGPrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 7th Jul 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */