The World Cup’s marathon group stage finally comes to an end on Sunday with the last two quarter-final places still up for grabs.
Pakistan, the 1992 champions, 1975 and 1979 winners the West Indies and non-Test side Ireland are the three teams battling for two remaining places in the knockout phase from Pool B.
The winners of the match between Pakistan and Ireland in Adelaide will be guaranteed a quarter-final spot in a fixture that will take place almost eight years to the day since the Irish knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup.
It will be an emotional occasion for Misbah-ul-Haq’s team as that defeat in Jamaica was followed the day after by the death of their coach Bob Woolmer.
“I remember Bob a lot, he contributed so much to Pakistan cricket,” said veteran batsman Younis Khan of the former England international.
“I hope we can win this game and some more in the World Cup. There would be nothing better to dedicate to Bob’s memory.”
Pakistan are on a roll after three straight wins, including a defeat of highly-fancied South Africa, after starting the tournament with two straight losses.
Ireland have already beaten two Test nations at this World Cup in the West Indies and Zimbabwe but skipper William Porterfield tried to ease the pressure on his team by saying: “It’s just another game of the group.
“Obviously result-wise it’s a key match, but you are still going to prepare like you do for each match.
“Some lads may think about it more than others and that may be an extra motivating factor for them. But as long as we prepare how we have done for each individual game, then we’ll be fine.”
Ireland produced a major upset with their three-wicket victory over Pakistan at Jamaica’s Sabina Park in 2007 but Porterfield, who played in that match, said another win on Sunday would be no shock.
“Over the last eight years we’ve obviously grown massively as a cricket-playing nation,” he said.
“So I don’t think it will be as big surprise if we do go out there and win tomorrow as it would have been back in 2007.”
Earlier Sunday, in Napier, the West Indies should roll over the United Arab Emirates to grab fourth spot in Pool B and a quarter-final against New Zealand in Wellington.
They currently have four points compared to Pakistan and Ireland’s six apiece, heading into their match against the amateurs of the UAE.
But they’ll need to have one eye on the Napier skies and the other on the scoreboard in what is a must-win game if they are to have any chance of going through to the quarter-finals.
Cyclone Pam thousands of kilometres away in the South Pacific could blow away their chances if it brings heavy rainfall to New Zealand’s North Island.
A washout would send Jason Holder’s men tumbling out of the tournament — they need two points from a victory as the solitary point awarded for a no-result will not be enough.
Further complicating matters, the West Indies must soundly beat the UAE by 70 runs to ensure a place in the last eight.
“It’s a must-win game for us,” said West Indies captain Holder. “Obviously if the weather plays a part, it’s beyond our control, but we just need to control what we can control, and that’s the game.”
New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Australia and Bangladesh have all qualified for the quarter-finals from Pool A, while India, the defending champions, and South Africa have both made it through from Pool B.