KARACHI: Sri Lanka’s veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene and explosive all-rounder Shahid Afridi of Pakistan are in line to become the most experienced players in ICC Cricket World Cup history, after they were named in provisional squads for the spectacle starting on Feb 14.

The two players made their World Cup debuts at the 1999 World Cup, and have appeared in every event since then, said an ICC statement issued on Friday.

While Jayawardene featured in the final of the 2007 and 2011 World Cups, as well as the semi-final of the 2003 edition, Afridi was a member of the Pakistan side that played the final at Lord’s in 1999.

Afridi captained Pakistan at the 2011 World Cup where Pakistan reached the semi-final.

If the two players are named in the final line-ups, likely to be announced around Jan 8, then they will join the exclusive company of Wasim Akram, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Aravinda de Silva, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralidaran, Thomas Odoyo, Ricky Ponting, Arjuna Ranatunga and Steve Tikolo, who have each played in five World Cups to date.

Pakistan’s Javed Miandad and India’s Sachin Tendulkar, with six World Cups each, share the record for the most appearances at ICC’s pinnacle event.

Interestingly, this will be the first World Cup which will be held without either Miandad or Tendulkar. Miandad played from 1975 (inaugural edition of World Cup) to 1996, while Tendulkar represented his country from 1992 to 2011.

Miandad featured in semi-finals in 1979, 1983 and 1987, final in 1992 and quarter-final in 1996, while Tendulkar appeared in the 1996 quarter-final, and 2003 and 2011 finals.

Besides Jayawardene and Afridi, seven other players are in line to appear in their fourth World Cup: James Anderson, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Younis Khan, Robin Peterson, Kumar Sangakkara and Daniel Vettori.

The UAE — returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1996 — has named the oldest and youngest players of the tournament in its 30-player provisional squad.

Khurram Khan at 43 is the oldest player (born June 21, 1971) while Yodhin Punja, who turned 15 on April 24, 2014, is the youngest cricketer.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2014