Australia play Pakistan at Colombo in what will be the 40th game of the
ICC Cricket world Cup 2011. The game will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and will need the two teams to win the game to have a chance
of going through to the top spot in the rankings in the points table.
The points situation in the Group A is such that the four teams have already
qualified for the next round. What remains to be seen is that which team finishes
at which position in the table. Right now, Australia have nine points from five
games, Pakistan have eight from five, New Zealand have eight from five as well
and Sri Lanka have seven from five. Irrespective of the result of the New Zealand-Sri
Lanka game that will be played on Friday, it is known that if Australia
win the game, they will end at the top of the points table.
Click for Live Score Card of Australia Vs Pakistan
On the other hand, if Pakistan win, they will have ten points, which is one more
than Australia. However, then, it will depend on the result of this game between
New Zealand and Sri Lanka - if New Zealand win, they will end at the top of the
pile with ten points and a better net run rate whereas if Sri Lanka win they will
also have nine ad Pakistan will top the group.
In short, both the sides will be wanting to win the game to go to the top of the
group but what is interesting to see is that none of the sides still know which
team will they play if they go on to finish at whatever position in the points
table.
Australia have not had a tough challenge in the tournament so far and will hope
that they win but are stretched to the extreme before the start of the big games.
Where they could struggle is with the bowling if it is taken to pieces from
the word go and the middle-order batting. Ricky Ponting is out of form, as is
Cameron White and the rest of the batting is overly dependent on Shane Watson
to get them the runs.
This will mean that it could get interesting to see whether the Pakistanis open
the bowling attack with a spinner instead of a pace bowler. Pakistan will hope
to get in Saeed Ajmal for this game.
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