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An unbeaten man-of-the-match century by Pakistan’s opening batsman Sarfraz Ahmed at Adelaide ended Ireland’s glory run at the World Cup by seven wickets to set up a quarter final clash with Australia.
And with the West Indies giving United Arab Emirates a six-wicket lesson at Napier, the calypso kings finished fourth in Pool B and a quarter final meeting with New Zealand.
So the sudden death quarters are set.
We have Sri Lanka-South Africa at the SCG on March 18, Bangladesh-India at the MCG on March 19, followed by Australia-Pakistan in Adelaide on March 20 and finally New Zealand-West Indies in Wellington on March 21.
I see the semis as New Zealand-South Africa at Eden Park on March 24, and Australia-India at the SCG on March 26. And a New Zealand-Australia final at the MCG on March 29.
Why? Because the two long-standing across-the-ditch rivals have the best attacks.
The Black Caps have Trent Boult’s 15 wickets at 15.60, Daniel Vettori’s 13 at 13.69, and Tim Southee’s 13 at 20.76 – all from six games.
While Australia have the tournament’s top wicket-taker in Mitchell Starc with 16, at a mere 8.50 apiece, plus Mitchell Johnson’s nine at 22.56 – both from just five games – and Pat Cummins’ five at 16 in only two games.
But the supporting batsmen in both sides haven’t consistently been among the runs, and from here on in is the time for that to surface. Especially for the Australians.
David Warner is the leading scorer with 264, but his tournament top score of 178 makes a huge hole in that. Glenn Maxwell’s 257 includes his maiden ODI ton with 102 and Aaron Finch’s 197 includes his 135 against England first up.
Steve Smith’s 176 has a top score of 95, while Michael Clarke and Shane Watson are both due for a big scores in a hurry, with just one half-century apiece.
The Kiwis have a potentially devastating batting order, with skipper Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Corey Anderson all capable of very big scores, but Guptill is the only centurion in six games.
Some side is going to pay for that, starting with the West Indies.
Outside of New Zealand and Australia, there are obviously some brilliant batsmen who can change the course of any game.
Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene, for starters, South African skipper AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, India’s Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, and let’s not forget MS Dhoni, nor the West Indies’ Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels.
But attacking batsmen can be controlled by consistent line and length bowlers, and that’s where the Kiwis and the Australians have the call.
So at last the World Cup has reached the business end where there’s no room for any mistakes. Bring it on.