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True to expectations three of the top favourites have reached the semifinals of 1999 World Cup Cricket. The bookies must be very pleased, and so will be the teams and a new equation has already been in place with Pakistan taking the top spot ahead of South Africa and Australia. Despite their past performances in the World Cup, which are impressive without being brilliant, New Zealand are being regarded as outsiders as Zimbabwe would have been. Pakistan's only victory in the Super Six against Zimbabwe not only gave them the points required for a semifinal place but also enhanced their run rate to such an extent that they find themselves in the most advantageous position on top having the privilege of playing against the weakest (no malice intended to New Zealand) of the four. This is indeed a matter of great satisfaction for the Pakistanis but by no stretch of imagination an occasion for complacency, a competition like this never undermine the weaknesses of the opponent. A team which can reach that stage must have its strong points also and a win in the preliminaries is no guarantee for a victory in the semis. Pakistan must remember the 1992 semis against the Kiwis in Auckland. In that tournament Pakistan was the team which came from the brink to reach the semis and beat the Kiwis by four wickets and finally lifted the trophy in Melbourne against England. This is a game of cricket and anything may happen.

So far the Pakistani bowlers have had to carry their team on their shoulders. They have bowled exceedingly well against their opponents. As a result all their regular bowlers are in the list of top ten in this tournament, a rare glory indeed. Like some of the top contenders, Pakistan so far have not suffered a genuine fifth bowler problem; in fact, if Afridi is in the team, they will have an extra hand to tide over any emergency. But batting must shape up in these important stages of the tournament. The lower order has performed extremely well so far and, if the top and middle really clicks then the latter batsman will be spared of the pressure. Yousuf Youhana's absence will definitely be felt in batting and fielding but that should be compensated by Ijaz Ahmad.

The Kiwis have a good record in World Cup tournaments but the current one has been very depressing for them. Apart from Scotland and Bangladesh, their only glorious moment was against Australia in the first leg. Their batsmen have shown determination against a demoralised India in the Super Six that actually won them a semifinal berth on net run rate. They have a very fine bowler in Geoff Allott who tops the bowling at this stage but he alone possibly cannot take the team to the final. Nash, Cairns, Harris and others have to support Allott as best as they can. Batting looks suspect and big innings from Nathan Astle and Chris Cairns are due and together with Roger Twose, Matthew Horne, Craig McMillan and Steve Fleming the Kiwis should pose serious problems.

Pakistan is a better team than the Kiwis anyday. But this enormously talented team had many hiccups in recent times mostly because of their internal squabblings and western media smear campaign against their key players. This situation has been reversed and the team has been transformed into a cohesive and fighting unit under Wasim Akram's leadership, their recent defeats notwithstanding.

This is one team which is full of surprises.