Spinners to watch out for

Pace bowlers may be the ones who rule the roost when it comes to bowling on wickets in Australia and New Zealand, which will have a lot on offer for the quicker men during the 2015 World Cup. However, spinners will also have an important role to play. They may be called upon early to change the tempo of the game, or they may be asked to tie down the opposition and pick up crucial wickets during the batting powerplay that follows the middle overs. In either case, the batsmen will mostly be on the lookout for their premium shots and it is imperative that the slow bowlers are up to the challenge. Here's a look at some of the spin bowlers who are likely to make a big impact in the upcoming World Cup.

With Saeed Ajmal out of the World Cup because of his flawed action and Mohammad Hafeez out with an injury, the experienced Shahid Afridi's leg-spin will be the most important aspect when it comes to Pakistan's spin bowling arsenal. The mercurial cricketer was at his best during the 2011 World Cup in which he was the joint highest wicket-taker along with Zaheer Khan. However, those efforts came in sub-continent conditions and it remains to be seen if the 34-year-old can replicate that.

A reliable left-arm spin bowler, who has served well for Sri Lanka in Test cricket since the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath has also done a decent job in ODI cricket. While he may not have too many wickets to speak for his efforts in the 50-over version, his economy rate of 4.36 is something that will assure Sri Lanka that the 36-year-old is the man for the job.

Ever since Shane Warne quit cricket, a quality leg-spinner has become something of a rarity. South Africa's leggie Imran Tahir may not be as gifted as the Australian legend, however he does have a lot to offer. He has the variations like top spin and the wrong 'un that can surprise a lot of batsmen. The fact that Tahir has the knack of taking wickets in crucial moments makes him a dangerous prospect.

Indian spinners generally have tended to leak runs in overseas conditions when wickets have not aided them. However, an intelligent spinner like R Ashwin knows how to tie down batsmen and cut the run flow. With Ravindra Jadeja's fitness still a concern and inexperienced Axar Patel being the other spin option for India, R Ashwin will have to shoulder most of the responsibilities and step up to give the defending champions the edge when it comes to bowling during the fielding restrictions.

He was mainly considered as a batsman who could also turn his arm over when ever required. Ever since England's summer series against India though, Moeen Ali has come into his own as an off-spinner. He is a reliable option for England when it comes to bowling in the powerplay overs, but what remains to be seen is if he can be as effective as Graeme Swann, especially going up against some of the best hitters in the game.

A consistent performer with both bat and the ball, Shakib Al Hasan is also the spin spearhead of the Bangladesh attack. One of the most effective left-arm spin bowlers in contemporary cricket, Shakib will be Bangladesh's go-to man when it comes to bowling during the fielding restrictions. However, the conditions will be altogether different to what Shakib has been used to and it has to been seen if he can rise to the challenge.