What seemed like a straightforward group phase, with the usual suspects making it through to the Super Six stage, has suddenly become much more of a contest. A couple of unexpected results, especially in Group B, and India’s woeful loss of form, have opened up the World Cup.The turnaround started from Game One, where pre-tournament second favourites South Africa were given a drubbing by a West Indian side led by Brian Lara. One week later, the hosts contrived to lose again, to New Zealand. They are now staring down the barrel, their fate hanging entirely on the outcome of the Sri Lanka-West Indies match. If Sri Lanka wins, they are out. If West Indies wins, the Proteas sneak through.Their story is rather similar to India’s in Group A. The Indians also went in with a pile of expectations, but their loss of form has changed calculations a bit since. It was always going to be a multiple-horse race with Australia, Pakistan, India, England and Zimbabwe all capable of making it through.But India’s form and Zimbabwe’s four-point advantage — eight if Australia also boycott Harare — has altered the picture.Group A has two surefire qualifiers in Australia and Zimbabwe, and any one of India, Pakistan and England can go through depending on how they fare against each other. If either of these three countries can lift their game on the matchdays, it could be their ticket to the next level.
