World Cup braced for final countdown

The World Cup enters its final weekend of group games with former champions Pakistan and West Indies facing either early flights home or a last-gasp places in the quarter-finals.
Six of the eight quarter-finalists are already known -- New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from Pool A and defending champions India and South Africa in Pool B.
That leaves 1992 champions Pakistan, 1975 and 1979 winners West Indies and non-Test side Ireland battling for the remaining two places.
Their fates will be decided on Sunday with Pakistan facing Ireland in Adelaide almost eight years to the day that 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.
Earlier Sunday, in Napier, the West Indies should roll over the United Arab Emirates to grab fourth spot in Pool B and a quarter-final against New Zealand in Wellington.
Before all that on Saturday, India look for a sixth win in six games against already-eliminated Zimbabwe in Auckland.
India have been impressive at the tournament, bowling out the opposition in all five games they have played.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, have just one win and their game against India will be the last international for Brendan Taylor, the rock-solid batsman who will take up a county contract with Nottinghamshire.
India will face Asian neighbours Bangladesh in the quarter-finals in front of 90,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 19.
- Woolmer memory -
Saturday's other game sees four-time champions Australia seeking to take second spot in Pool A behind New Zealand by defeating Scotland in Hobart and set-up a quarter-final in Adelaide on March 20 against either Pakistan or Ireland.
Australia made sure of their spot in the next stage after last weekend's 64-run win over Sri Lanka where they piled up 376-9.
That followed their World Cup record score of 417-6 to rout Afghanistan by 275 runs.
Australia will have little to fear from a Scotland side who have still to win a World Cup match in three appearances -- a run of 13 games.
The two sides have met four times with Australia winning by six wickets in 1999, 203 runs in 2007, 189 runs in 2005 and 200 runs in 2013.
Sunday's group stage conclusion sees Pakistan, having won three games in succession -- including over South Africa earlier this week -- after two opening losses, take on Ireland in Adelaide.
Veteran batsman Younis Khan, who played in the 2007 World Cup, wants victory over Ireland in honour of Woolmer.
"This is surely a very emotional game for me and all of us," Khan said, remembering the man who coached Pakistan from 2004 till his death.
"I remember Bob a lot, he contributed so much to Pakistan cricket. Hope we can win this game and some more in the World Cup. There would be nothing better to dedicate to Bob's memory."
In Napier, the West Indies will have one eye on the skies and the other on the scoreboard as they seek to keep their campaign alive in a must-win clash with the United Arab Emirates.
The two-time champions, who have lost to Ireland, South Africa and India so far, currently lie fifth in Pool B.
But a cyclone thousands of kilometres away in the South Pacific could blow away their chances if it brings heavy rainfall to New Zealand's North Island by Sunday.
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.
Source: AFP