Shoaib Malik born on February 1, 1982 in Sialkot, Pakistan is a captain of Pakistan Cricket team. He is a right handed batsman and right arm offbreak bowler. He started his career as an off spinner, and is now regarded as a useful batsman with a batting average in the mid 30s in both Test and ODI cricket. He is regarded as a flexible player. He is capable of hitting big shots but is also capable of rotating the strike with good placement. He has a strike rate of 77.23 runs per 100 balls, which compares favourably to players such as Rahul Dravid and Inzamam ul-Haq.

Jacques Kallis is the best allrounder in the world. The burly Capetonian bats at number three or four in the South African line-up, although this World Cup is more likely to find him in the latter position. He is the rock amongst SA's batsmen: able to focus mercilessly for long periods of time and defy the opposition bowling. He is also capable of accelerating the scoring with a wide array of strokes. He has no discernable weakness against pace or spin bowling. He is a difficult man to dislodge.

Kallis is also one of the ten best seam bowlers in the world. He usually moves the ball away from the right-handed batsman and possesses a short ball surprising in its pace, as well as a slow ball surprising in its lack of pace. He is likely to feature first change, but is also very adept at firing in the yorkers at the death.

Andrew Flintoff was born on 6 December 1977 in Preston. The right-handed all-rounder made his test debut on 23 July 1998 against South Africa at Nottingham. But in spite of his natural talent Flintoff's cricketing career took a while to take off. He was overweight and unfit. Dropped from the England team in 2001 he determined to get into shape and dropped about two stone to around 16.5 stone. Flintoff used the services of former Great Britain rugby league international Steve Hampson to help him improve his fitness.

Chris Gayle born on September 21, 1979 in Kingston, Jamaica is a hard-hitting left-handed batsman who can bowl right-arm off spin when called upon. Gayle, who normally opens the innings when he plays for the West Indies, is a destructive batsman who is most effective playing square of the wicket. In July 2001, he established the record for opening partnerships at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo when they [Chris Gayle (175) and Daren Ganga (89)] put on 214 together against Zimbabwe.

Jacob Oram born on July 28, 1978 in Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand. He is an allrounder, a big hitting left handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler who is a regular fixture in the current New Zealand. His bowling has been more successful in the shorter format, he has reached as high as 5 in the ICC ODI Player Rankings as a bowler. He is one of 36 New Zealand Test cricketers to have scored 1000 runs and one of just 6 New Zealanders to have reached the double of 1000 ODI runs and 100 wickets.

Shahid Afridi born on March 1, 1980 is a Right handed batsman. He is known for his aggressive batting style, and currently holds the highest career strike rate in the history of international cricket. He made his ODI debut on October 2, 1996 against Kenya in Nairobi and his Test debut on October 22, 1998 against Australia at Karachi. As of May 22, 2007, he has an ODI strike rate of 109.38 runs per 100 balls, the highest in the game's history. Bowling-wise, his stock ball is the leg break, but his armory also includes the conventional off break and a 'quicker one' which he can deliver at nearly 80 mph in the style of a medium-pacer. He bowls at a high speed for a spinner, resulting in lesser turn, and relying more on variations in speed. He occasionally sends down a bouncer to a batsmen, which is very rare for a spin bowler.

Paul Collingwood born on May 26, 1976 in Shotley Bridge, Durham is vice-captain of Durham County Cricket Club and plays Test and One-day International cricket for England, and on 22 June 2007 appointed to England's one-day captaincy. Paul Collingwood is perhaps the first specialist fielder to earn regular selection for a Test squad. He made England's one-day team in 2001, but four years and numerous tours later, he had played in just three Tests. In Australia in 2002-03 he started the VB Series as 12th man, but was soon spanking a memorable maiden international century against Sri Lanka at Perth - a round 100 that confirmed his place in the 2003 World Cup squad.

Sanath Jayasuriya born on June 30, 1971 in Matara is an allrounder of Sri Lanka team. He is undoubtedly the most successful Sri Lankan cricketer in history and one of the most feared batsmen in the world. He revolutionized one day international batting with his aggressive tactics during the 1996 cricket world cup. The tactic he used was to smash the opening bowlers to all parts of the cricket ground. He is known for both cuts and pulls along with his trademark shot, a shot over point.

He is a very useful all-rounder with a good batting average in both Test cricket and One-day Internationals, and an excellent batting strike rate in One-day Internationals. As a left-arm orthodox spin bowler, he has a reasonable bowling average and economy rate.

Scott Styris born on july 10, 1975 in Brisbane, Australia is an allrounder. He is right handed middle order batsman and a right-arm medium pace bowler. He made his debut for New Zealand in One Day International at Rajkot in 1999-2000. At Mohali in 2003/04 against India he scored his second Test hundred with 119, one of 4 New Zealander's to make a century in the innings. Soon after he made his career best Test score of 170 against South Africa in Auckland, his innings taking just 220 balls. In June 2004 New Zealand toured England and Styris impressed at Nottingham, making 108. He scored his fifth Test hundred at Auckland against the West Indies, an unbeaten 103 helping his side to win the Test.

Vettori born on January 27, 1979 in Auckland, New Zealand. He is the youngest player to represent New Zealand in Test cricket, having made his debut in 1996/1997 at the age of 18. He has captained the Black Caps on occasions such as when regular captain, Stephen Fleming, was unable to. He is currently the vice-captain for the side as well as Warwickshire.