Ricky Ponting's mighty Australians lost their cool in the steamy humidity of the Premadasa Stadium on Saturday and saw an unbeaten run of 34 World Cup matches dating back to 1999 shattered by a Pakistan team that discovered steely resolve in a low-scoring match. Barring obscure mathematical equations, India, England and the West Indies have sealed their qualification for a quarterfinal place from Group B after Bangladesh submitted meekly in Dhaka to a South Africa team that is starting to look like a serious contender for its first World Cup title.
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The South Africans ensured top place in Group B and sent Bangladesh to the brink of World Cup elimination with a comprehensive 206-run thrashing so far.
West Indies should advance, provided it avoids a monumental defeat to India at Chennai on Sunday.
Bangladesh's very slender hope of advancing is for the West Indies to slump to a massive defeat and fall behind on the net runrate for the tournament.
South Africa got on top early, posting 284 for eight. Robin Peterson took 4-12 as Bangladesh was dismissed for 78 in 28 overs in a reply that never gathered momentum.
South Africa skipper Graeme Smith said his Proteas squad was hitting the kind of form which made them good prospects to win the tournament.
“That'd be terrific. We're just going to take it a step at a time, change nothing and just keep going the way we are,” he said. “Hopefully, a bit of luck, and we'll get there.” Smith shared a 98-run opening stand with Hashim Amla (51) before he was stumped for 45.
Amla was out soon after, then Jacques Kallis (69) guided the middle order with stands of 34 with JP Duminy (17) and 82 with Faf du Plessis (52) before giving a return catch to Shakib.
In Colombo, Australia and Pakistan had already qualified for the last eight but Ponting was in no mood to surrender the unbeaten streak that the Aussies to World Cup titles in England in 1999, South Africa in 2003 and the Caribbean in 2007.
Ponting's combative nature, so often the inspiration for Australian victories, showed its negative side when he found a thick edge to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal that umpire Marius Erasmus somehow did not spot. Ponting stood his ground, infuriating Pakistan's fielders who crowded around Erasmus appealing for a decision.
In the melee, his batting partner Brad Haddin pushed two Pakistani fielders before Ponting was given out on referral. Ponting said after the game that, as always, he waited for the umpire to give him out.
That dismissal left Australia on 75-2, ending a 63-run stand — the best of the innings.
Paceman Umar Gul took 3-30 as Pakistan dismissed Australia for 176 — Australia's lowest first-innings total at the World Cup since 1992 — with more than three overs to spare. Pakistan bowled tidily, but Australia was equally the architect of its downfall with a series of rash strokes on a slow Colombo wicket.
In response, veteran pace bowler Brett Lee was superb, taking 4-28 in eight overs as he almost dragged Australia back into the game, reducing Pakistan to 142-6 when he caught captain Shahid Afridi at deep long on.
Lee bowled with subtle hostility, but the slow wicket sapped the predictable pace of Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson. Umar Akmal, with a patient 44 not out, saw Pakistan home to victory.
Ponting was also in the bad books of Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande, who said it was disappointing that Associate nations didn't get more support for their World Cup ambitions.
“What is disappointing is someone like Ricky Ponting saying that the Associates don't need to be here,” Kamande said ahead of Kenya's last group match against Zimbabwe.
The 2003 semifinalist play Zimbabwe at the Eden Gardens on Sunday after losing its five previous matches. That match will be halfway through when India starts against West Indies.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni provided an insight into the tireless work ethic of the world's greatest batsman, saying Sachin Tendulkar still works on his technique and analyzes every pitch before he plays.
Even with Tendulkar's enviable record of 99 international centuries so far in a wondrous 21-year career — where he holds most major batting records — Dhoni said the game's most celebrated player won't stop working or trying to improve.
“He keeps it really simple. He doesn't look at the milestones that are coming up for him,” Dhoni said. “He knows that in every game that he plays some kind of a milestone is around the corner.
“He practices well, he still works on his technique and where he feels that extra bit of effort is needed. Of course, what really helps him is the way he analyzes the wicket and his coming innings.”
To back up Dhoni's comments, Tendulkar practiced next to the pitch at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium for about an hour Saturday in preparation for Sunday's World Cup Group B game against West Indies — when he could become the first man to an incredible 100 centuries in internationals.
Tendulkar's opening partner Virender Sehwag is a doubtful starter for Sunday, as he is struggling with an allergic reaction in his right knee.
“We will take a call (on Sehwag) either in the evening or by morning before the game,” Dhoni said.
Sehwag is India's leading runscorer at the tournament with 327 runs at an average of 65.40.
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