With top teams making the quarterfinal line-up, the knockout stage will begin when South Africa take on 1996 champions Sri Lanka on Wednesday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Sri Lanka, who have had an excellent run in the final few matches of the league stage, ended third in pool A with opener Kumar Sangakkara leading the run-scorers chart after hitting a record four consecutive ODI hundreds – a first in the 50-over format.

South Africa on the other hand have had a bumpy ride in the league stages after losses to India and Pakistan but skipper AB de Villers has led by example after scoring 417 runs in six matches. The defending champions India seem to have the simplest test against Bangladesh as the Asian rivals lock horns at the MCG, here on Thursday.

The Men in Blue look to have it easy against the Tigers but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has warned the side of any slackness against the so-called minnows, who have been instrumental in knocking England out of the tournament.

India will also remember their league stage exit in the 2007 edition when they bowed out after losing to Bangladesh to avoid a potential banana slip this time around.

Come Friday, four-time champions Australia lock horns with an unpredictable Pakistan, 1992 champions, in what is pitted to be the most promising game of the last-eight stage. In the final quarters clash, co-hosts and contenders new Zealand will be up against West Indies, who just sneaked into the knockouts but can always be a potential threat due their unpredictable nature on play.

The Kiwis, who boast of reaching six Word Cup semi finals, will once again be looking to get past the Caribbean side and then cross the final-four hurdle this time around to live up to the favourites tag.

But just as the big guns will battle to get closer to the coveted title, England will be licking their wounds after making an early exit from the quadrennial event but cricket as they say is a game of glorious uncertainties. A reserve day has been scheduled for each of the seven knock-out matches.

If a quarter-final or semi-final is tied, abandoned or if the match is a no-result, then the team that finished in the higher position in the pool stage shall progress.
(PTI)