Jofra Archer

One of the most exciting fast bowlers of the modern era, Jofra Archer in full flow is a sight to watch - smooth rhythmical run-up, braced front-knee on delivery, and the ability to bowl very fast and trouble the best batters in the world. The potential was never in doubt, even before he set foot on the international stage. So much so that England were willing to fast-track him into their squad for the 2019 World Cup ahead of other candidates who had been with the group for a while. The rest, as they say, is history.

Born and raised in Barbados, Archer made the move to England after not getting enough opportunities back home. Having shown a lot of promise in school cricket, he got the chance to represent the West Indies U19 team but was left out of the U19 World Cup. He also couldn't make it to the Barbados squad in domestic cricket. So thanks to his British passport (courtesy of his British father), and some help from Chris Jordan - another Barbados native playing for England - Archer found a place at Sussex in England's domestic circuit, where he didn't take long to make an impression. In his first full season in 2017, Archer picked up 61 wickets in the County Championship at an average of 25.29. Later that year, he represented Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL and wowed global audiences with his ability, including the IPL franchises. He was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for INR 7.2 crore in the IPL 2018 auctions and performed well in his debut season with 15 wickets in 10 matches.

A few months before the 2019 World Cup, ECB changed its qualification criteria from seven years to three years of residency, opening the door for Archer to be catapulted into the World Cup squad. He made his ODI debut in May 2019 against Ireland, before leapfrogging other contenders to be included in the squad for the mega-event. He finished the tournament as England's leading wicket-taker and played a big role in helping them lift the trophy for the very first time.