First-timers who could take the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 by storm

While it's good to bank on players who have the experience of playing in a tournament of this stature, many of these first-timers have the ability to make or break your fantasy season. Let's have a look at the five players who could be topping the fantasy charts by the end of the tournament.

Jasprit Bumrah

After making his debut in 2016, the fast bowler has grown from strength to strength to become the leader of India's pace attack. He already has 85 wickets in 49 one-day internationals, at a scintillating average of 22.15 and economy rate of 4.51. Bowlers who have the ability to pick up wickets consistently, and that too at cheap economy rates, are invaluable in fantasy cricket. Bumrah is definitely one of them, and you can bank on him to give consistent returns in both daily and season-long contests.

Shai Hope

The 25-year-old Windies batsman should be a regular name in your daily contests if you are looking for one batsman who can give consistent points match after match. He has played 54 ODIs, scoring 2247 runs at an excellent average of 51.06. His tally includes six centuries, with a best of 170. Four of his six centuries have come while opening the batting, where he averages 121. So don't hesitate to make him a part of your season-long fantasy, especially if he goes on to open regularly.

Rashid Khan

The Afghanistan spinner has taken the world by storm ever since he made his international debut back in October 2015. In fact, nobody has taken more wickets in ODIs than him since his debut. His tally of 125 scalps has come at a superb average of 15.08 and an impressive economy rate of 3.91. He picks up a wicket every 23 balls in ODIs, which means you can bank on him to give you at least two wickets per match. Moreover, he is a dangerous batsman down the order and has four ODI fifties. Whether it is daily contest or season-long fantasy, Rashid should be one of the first players in your team because of his ability to score big with both bat and ball. He makes a safe captaincy option as well. Ignore him at your own peril!

Jonny Bairstow

The England batsman should be there in your season-long team right alongside the Kohlis and Buttlers as he matches their consistency and point-scoring ability. He has been in fine form and is coming into this tournament on the back of a brilliant IPL 2019 campaign during which he scored 445 runs in 10 matches at an average of 55.62. Moreover, his ODI form for England in the last couple of years has been fabulous. Overall, he averages 47.53, with 2329 runs in 63 ODIs. However, he is a different beast in home conditions, as suggested by his record of 1454 runs at an average of 63.21.

Fakhar Zaman

The 29-year-old Pakistani opener needs no introduction. He has already shown what he is capable of with his match-winning century in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final against India. His exploits didn't stop there as he became the first Pakistani batsman to score an ODI double-hundred last year. He has 1642 runs in 36 ODIs at an excellent average of 51.31. Couple that with an overall strike-rate of 98.14, and you get an explosive batsman capable of ruling the conditions in England. While it might be tough to slot him ahead of other batsmen in season-long contests, you can't ignore him in daily contests at all. He might turn out to be the only reliable Pakistani batsman from whom you can expect big hauls.