Pakistan brushed aside Zimbabwe on Monday to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals as Bangladesh stayed on course for the knockout phase, cruising to a win against the Netherlands.
Pakistan brushed aside Zimbabwe on Monday to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals as Bangladesh stayed on course for the knockout phase, cruising to a win against the Netherlands.
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All four qualifiers in Group A are now decided, with co-hosts Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand joining Pakistan in the last eight.
In the tougher Group B, no team has yet reached the next stage but Bangladesh moved into the top four on Monday, pushing England into fifth spot. India, South Africa and West Indies currently occupy the other places.
In a rain-affected match in Pallekele in Sri Lanka, Pakistan restricted Zimbabwe to 151-7 in 39.4 overs before a second rain interruption curtailed the innings.
Man-of-the-match Umar Gul, with 3-36, was the pick of the bowlers as Zimbabwe's Craig Ervine fought a lone battle, hitting a patient 52 off 82 balls.
Pakistan, set a revised 162-run target in 38 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis formula, finished on 164-3 after 34.1 overs on the back of an unbeaten 78 by Asad Shafiq and 49 from Mohammad Hafeez.
Left-arm spinner Raymond Price (2-21) slowed Pakistan but they never looked remotely like falling short of the modest target.
Skipper Shahid Afridi said Pakistan were targeting top spot in Group A to avoid a more tricky assignment in the last eight.
A win over defending champions Australia in Colombo on Saturday will go a long way in helping that ambition.
"We will definitely play well against Australia. It's a match which we'll take very seriously," said Afridi, whose side are a point better off than the champions but who have played a game more.
In the earlier match in Chittagong the Netherlands slumped to 160 all out in 46.2 overs despite 53 not out from the dangerous Ryan ten Doeschate.
Abdur Razzak picked up 3-29 in 10 overs, while fellow spinners skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Suhrawadi Shuvo claimed one wicket apiece.
In a reckless display of running between the wickets, the Netherlands lost four batsmen to run outs.
Untroubled Bangladesh surpassed the target in the 42nd over with left-handed Imrul Kayes making 73 not out.
"It was a nervous win because we had to win to stay in the contest. I thought the boys showed their character and bowled in really good areas and kept the pressure on," said Shakib.
Shakib admitted the team would keep one eye on the West Indies-England game even as the players prepared for the match against South Africa.
"Of course we will watch that match, but as far as we are concerned, it will change nothing. Our future should remain in our hands. The bottom line is that we have to beat South Africa."
If the West Indies beat England on Thursday in Chennai, Bangladesh will qualify regardless of the outcome of the South Africa match. If England win, Bangladesh would need to beat the Proteas.
Dutch skipper Peter Borren admitted his team, who have had a miserable World Cup with five defeats in five games, had let themselves down.
Meanwhile, in-form South African batsman AB de Villiers has undergone a scan on a left thigh injury ahead of Tuesday's match against Ireland at Eden Gardens in Kolkata where a will put the Proteas into the last eight.
South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl said Monday the injury was not "major".
"We are waiting for the doctor's report," he said.
The World Cup quarter-finals begin on March 23. Final group positions will determine who plays whom in the second round.
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