Mohammad Nadeem

Debuting as a 31-year-old in 2014 for his adopted country of Oman, Mohammad Nadeem took a while to get going, making his first half-century in international cricket shortly before his 36th birthday, against Hong Kong at the 2018 Asia Cup Qualifier in Malaysia.

Since then he has rewarded the faith of Oman's management by transforming into an indispensable middle-order allrounder. There is nothing flashy about his batting technique, but his ability to soak up pressure in tense situations and get Oman across the line with a string of valuable not-outs was instrumental in their progress through the final stages of the World Cricket League ladder to secure ODI status in April 2019.

As for his bowling, Nadeem's slow jog into the crease belies the consistent 130-135kph pace he is able to generate - at times he has been clocked above 140kph - by flinging the ball in with his wiry frame. In a team that has been frequently loaded with quality frontline fast-bowling options, his presence has allowed Oman to leave one out in favour of an extra spinner when conditions have called for it without suffering much of a drop-off in pace quality. Though he may not be a full quota bowler, his strike rate is indicative of his effectiveness at creating breakthroughs when called upon, particularly in the middle overs.