Bangladesh

The generation that carried Bangladesh out of the shadows arrived at the turn of the millennium. Led by the spirited pace of Mashrafe Mortaza, the canny left-arm spin of Mohammad Rafique and the steady batting of Habibul Bashar, these players transformed the team from a whipping boy into a competitive force. Their defining early moment came in 2005, when they beat world champions Australia at Cardiff, a result that startled the cricketing world.

That breakthrough was no flash in the pan. At the 2007 World Cup a young side featuring Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim stunned India in the group stage and reached the Super Eights. The real rise came in the 2010s, when Shakib emerged as the team's fulcrum and a genuine all-round great, and Bangladesh began winning home ODI series against top nations, reaching the 2017 Champions Trophy semi-final along the way.

International silverware has remained elusive, but the progress has been steady. The country has produced world-class performers: Shakib with his all-round brilliance, Tamim with his fluent strokeplay, Mustafizur Rahman with his deceptive cutters. A passionate fan base and resilient performances at home, especially at Mirpur's fortress-like Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, make them a difficult opponent for anyone, and a new generation is now expected to compete rather than merely take part.