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FOR the next few days, South Africa will be out of the World Cup spotlight while their challengers battle out some crucial group games.

While South Africa settled into their Amsterdam hotel in preparation for a match against unranked Kenya at nearby Amstelveen on Wednesday, Pakistan were being touted as realistic candidates for the Cup.

Pakistan's explosive ability to take wickets and score quick runs makes them a threat to any team. Their win over Australia at Headingley on Sunday was ``a warning to all their rivals, South Africa included,'' wrote Peter Deeley in the Daily Telegraph.

In The Times, Simon Barnes described admiringly how Pakistan had the ability to ignite with the bat as well as ball. ``One minute we were watching a side struggle to hit a ball of the square. The next it was raining cricket balls.''

Pakistan look the most likely winners of Group B, a position they will secure if they beat New Zealand in Derby on Friday.

South Africa, meanwhile, will be confirmed as winners of Group A even before they meet Zimbabwe in Chelmsford on Saturday, unless Zimbabwe beat England at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

Zimbabwe, who frankly are improbable group winners, are the only side who could finish ahead of South Africa, unless Hansie Cronje's team do the unthinkable and lose to Kenya. If South Africa and England finished level on points, South Africa would prevail because of their crushing 122-run win against the hosts at the Oval on Saturday.

The key for South Africa, and Pakistan for that matter, is not only to top the log but to preserve points. Only points gained against fellow qualifiers are carried forward and it would hurt South Africa if they lost to Zimbabwe and enabled their neighbours to get through to the Super Six phase.

The odds, though, must favour South Africa and Pakistan both starting the Super Six with the maximum four points, in which case one more win would be enough to earn them a place in the semifinals. The two sides finishing first in their groups clash on the first weekend of Super Six action at Trent Bridge on Saturday week, with the winners clinching their place in the knockout phase.

For some other fancied sides, even getting to the Super Six has become problematical. Australia will have to beat the West Indies at Old Trafford on Sunday to have a chance of getting through. Even then they might need to lift their net run rate when they play Bangladesh in Chester-le-Street on Thursday.

The big match of the week, though, will be between India and Sri Lanka at Taunton. The two sides, with millions of devoted followers in their home countries - and plenty of supporters at their matches in England - will both be in a must-win situation.

The first real tears of the World Cup will be shed at Taunton as one of two highly-rated teams gets set to pack their bags knowing their challenge will be over.

South Africa will give a run to some of their reserve players on Wednesday but are unlikely to bring in all four men who have sat out the last two matches. While there is so much as a mathematical chance of another team toppling them on the log, winning will remain the key priority.