Fernando, Pooran and Afridi: The Cricketer's alternative World Cup team of the tournament

Breakout stars, young pretenders and surprise performers. The Cricketer puts together an XI who have grabbed their chance on the global stage with a vengeance

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Hazratullah Zazai (Afghanistan): With a strike-rate of 192 in T20s, Zazai's World Cup was always like to be a good time rather than a long time. After a duck against Australia, he reached the 30s on two occasions in clashes with Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Two further failures led to him being dropped from the team entirely, but his mark on international cricket had already been made. At 21, there is surely more to come at this level.

Soumya Sarkar (Bangladesh): With over a half a century of ODI appearances, there is nothing we don't already know about Soumya, but few outsiders would have expected him to overshadow opening partner Tamim Iqbal on the global stage. There was a brutal nature to his approach at the top of the order, with midwicket being a particularly fruitful area. His right-arm seamer was also a weapon, taking 3-58 against Australia despite having previously bowled just 24 overs for The Tigers.

Liton Das (Bangladesh): Had made close to 30 ODI outings before the World Cup but this was his genuine arrival on the global stage. He was held back until mid-June when he made a fine 94 not out in the victory over West Indies at Taunton. As Shakib al Hasan played the anchor role, Das exploded with eight fours and four sixes to help deliver the comfortable win. Scores thereafter were few and far between - not helped by being shifted up the order against Afghanistan followed but he has truly arrived.

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Hazratullah Zazai captured the imagination with his reckless batting

Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa): At 30 years old, the Pretoria-born batsman is no spring chicken but this was very much his global arrival. In a tournament of misery for South Africa, Van der Dussen was one of the few batsmen able to exert any control and hit three half-centuries in six innings, including a brilliant 95 against semi-finalists South Africa. Whether he can be a central pillar of this Proteas team until the next World Cup remains to be seen but there is certainly room for him amid a group which is likely to undergo multiple changes.

Avishka Fernando (Sri Lanka): Sri Lankan cricket is going through a minor crisis, but on the field they have plenty of talent worth investing in. Fernando very much positioned himself as the latest exciting prospect off the production line with a superb century against the West Indies at Headingley. Typical for a player from the sub-continent, he is beautifully wristy and prioritises scoring through third man and mid-wicket. Little doubt he has the talent to excel, but the application must follow.

Nicholas Pooran (West Indies): Had only played one ODI before this World Cup but expect him to be a staple of the side going forward. Served notice of his ability with a breezy 34 not out in the win over Pakistan before a half-century followed in vain against England. The stand-out display came with a boundary-laden 118 against Sri Lanka, one of the best three-figure scores of the tournament. If anyone was in any doubt as to his talent he tent to another fifty against Afghanistan. Expect him to be shifted up the order when the post-World Cup post-mortem is complete.

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Rassie van der Dussen performed well amid South Africa's troubles

Ikram Alikhil (Afghanistan): The teenager came into the tournament under a cloud having been enlisted to replace Mohammad Shahzad. At his tender age, he could be forgiven for a run of poor scores at the start of his World Cup campaign. But come the final game as Afghanistan chased a morale-boosting victory he struck 86, the highest score made by an 18 in the showcase tournament - surpassing Sachin Tendulkar. That, in itself, deserves respect.

Mohammad Saifuddin (Bangladesh): Has wafer-thin international experience prior to this tour but quickly came to the fore for an impressive Tigers side. Consistently in the wickets and though he was often expensive his breakthrough often proved vital. His 51 not out against India to keep his side's hopes alive showed he could emerge as a genuine allrounder going forward.

Isuru Udana (Sri Lanka): The 31-year-old was hardly prolific with the ball, and strictly speaking was often fielding by the Sri Lankans as a specialist batsman down the order but he was often extremely useful with the ball. That he gave as good as he got against the best two batting sides in the competition - Australia and England - said plenty about his unconventional left-arm approach, with Aaron Finch and Eoin Morgan on his hit list.

Jason Behrendorff (Australia): At 29 and with just two ODI appearances to his name Behrendorff could have been forgiven for wondering when his next 50-over outing would be for the Baggy Green. He became a central pillar of the bowling attack after taking his maiden five-for in the victory over England, as he added his name to the illustrious Lord's honours board. There is no danger of him replacing Mitchell Starc as Australia's premier left-arm seamer but he has at least ensured he won't be overlooked for much longer.

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Mohammad Saifuddin was Bangladesh's most potent seamer

Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan): After being taken apart by England it took a few games for Pakistan to return to the teenager. But once reinstated in the attack he blew the World Cup apart. Afridi took four wickets in the win over Afghanistan and followed that with the best figures from a Pakistan bowler in the World Cup, with  six for 35 against Bangladesh. The latest off the conveyor belt of ferocious seamers from south Asia, he has all the ability to match them all.

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