5 Young Guns Who Could Step Up into International Cricket in 2016

The Under-19 Cricket World Cup is often where stars are born. In 2014, Kagiso Rabada set the tournament alight, and he has since made the step up to become one of the brightest young stars in world cricket.

Making it to elite-level cricket is not easy, though, and the competition is tough out there. Still, we've hazarded a guess at a few players who could make the step up to the international stage this year, based on their performances at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup.

Who do you think could make the cut?

5. Rishabh Pant (India)

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Rishabh Pant is highly rated by the Indian media. He scored 267 runs at an average of 44.50 at the tournament, including two fifties and a century.

He also hit the fastest-ever half-century in under-19 one-day internationals—off just 18 balls. But here's the kicker: he also keeps wicket. If MS Dhoni's career came to an abrupt end, India seemingly have a youngster waiting in the wings ready to take over the reins.

4. Jack Burnham (England)

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Jack Burnham was the top run-scorer of the tournament, hitting 420 runs at an average of 84.00, including three centuries in six matches.

He is just the second player after Shikhar Dhawan to achieve this feat. Burnham plies his county trade with Durham, and while he is yet to feature for the first team in domestic limited-overs competition, England will be keeping a keen eye on him.

Out of all the players mentioned on this list, Burnham will, arguably, have the toughest road to making the cut for international cricket immediately. England's limited-overs team showed at the recent edition of the World Twenty20 that it is packed full of talent, and it will take a special effort from the youngsters to break into the ranks.

3. Mehedi Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh)

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Bangladesh seem to have cracked the formula of how to do well at limited-overs cricket: produce all-rounders.

Mehedi Hasan Miraz took 12 wickets at an economy rate of 3.75 with his off spin and chipped in with 242 runs at an average of 60.50 at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup. He scored three consecutive half-centuries and has a cool head under pressure.

Bangladesh are a side on the up, especially in one-day cricket, and they have shown on more than one occasion they are not afraid to give youngsters a chance. Out of all the players, Miraz is probably the player you can expect to see in senior international colours before anyone else.

2. Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)

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With Sri Lankan cricket going through a tough transitional phase, don't be surprised if 18-year old Charith Asalanka is called up at some point in the near future.

While he still has a long way to go, he showed real promise at the Under-19 World Cup, scoring 276 runs at an average of 46.00, including three half-centuries. Prior to his World Cup exploits, Asalanka was named Sri Lanka's School Cricketer of the Year in 2015.

According to Wisden India, Sri Lanka's assistant coach Avishka Gunawardene openly said he thinks the stocky kid from Galle is ahead of the curve.

1. Alzarri Joseph (West Indies)

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Few things are as exciting as a young fast bowler emerging from the Caribbean, and Alzarri Joseph ticks all the boxes. He clocked a ferocious 147 km/h delivery during the tournament and finished with 13 wickets at an average of 13.76 and economy rate of 3.31.

Since the World Cup, he has represented the Leeward Islands in three first-class fixtures, with his best figures coming against Guyana, where he took six for 105. Encouragingly, he isn't just all about pace, he knows how to mix up his lines and is a real prospect.

All information obtained firsthand, unless otherwise stated.