India and Australia wrapped up their World Cup group campaigns in style yesterday, paving the way for a knife-edge day today, with Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland to tussle over the last two quarter-final spots.
Defending champions India, who had already made the last eight, ruined Brendan Taylor’s farewell party with a hard-fought six-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Auckland for their sixth win in six games in Pool B.
Suresh Raina survived two dropped catches during his unbeaten 110 — his fifth one-day international century — as India chased down a 288-run target in 48.4 overs.
Photo: AFP
Taylor had anchored Zimbabwe’s 287 all out with a punishing 110-ball 138 in what was his last international after signing a deal with English county Nottinghamshire.
The skipper smashed 15 boundaries and five towering sixes in his second successive century after making 121 against Ireland, although Zimbabwe had already been eliminated from a tournament in which they lost five of six games.
Raina was dropped twice — on 47 and 71 — as he and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made an undefeated 85, put on a match-winning and unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 196 after India had been in trouble at 92-4.
Photo: AFP
India can look ahead to a quarter-final in Melbourne against Bangladesh on Thursday.
“I had a good partnership with M.S. Dhoni. We lost wickets early on, but what we did was really good. When my team needed me most I needed to deliver,” Raina said.
Taylor, who shared partnerships of 83 with Sean Williams (50) and 106 with Craig Ervine (27), admitted his side had not been consistent enough.
“We played some brilliant cricket, and have been shoddy at times. It hasn’t been a lot in it though, just a few dropped catches, and maybe finishing off the death bowling, but overall we have played some good cricket,” the 29-year-old said.
Australia wrapped up second spot in Pool A behind New Zealand as Mitchell Starc took 4-14 to help rout Scotland by seven wickets in rainy Hobart.
Scotland collapsed to 130 all out in an innings that featured five noughts and where only Matt Machan, with 40, looked dangerous.
Australia captain Michael Clarke then promoted himself to the top of the order ahead of their quarter-final in Adelaide on Friday by making a run-a-ball 47.
“Now it’s the knockout stages. We need to play at our best and I think if we do, we can win,” Clarke said.
Scotland have still to win a World Cup match — having now taken part in three editions — a run of 14 games.
Australia are still awaiting their quarter-final opponents although it seems likely they will avoid South Africa, who appear set for a Sydney clash with Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
Six of the eight quarter-finalists are known — New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India and South Africa.
That leaves 1992 champions Pakistan, 1975 and 1979 winners West Indies and non-Test side Ireland battling for the remaining two places out of Pool B.
Their fates will be decided today, with Pakistan facing Ireland in Adelaide almost eight years to the day since they were knocked out of the 2007 World Cup by the Irish.
It will be an emotional occasion for Misbah-ul-Haq’s team as that defeat in Jamaica was followed the day after by the death of their coach Bob Woolmer.
In Napier, the West Indies should beat the United Arab Emirates to grab fourth spot, but they will have one eye on the skies.
Cyclone Pam, thousands of kilometers away in the South Pacific, could blow away their chances if it brings heavy rainfall to New Zealand’s North Island.
A washout would send Jason Holder’s men tumbling out of the tournament — they need two points from a victory, the solitary point awarded for a no-result will not be enough.
Further complicating matters, the West Indies must soundly beat the UAE by 70 runs to ensure a place in the last eight.
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