Cricket World Cup 2015 Schedule: Remaining Pool Fixtures and Live Stream Info
The group stages of the 2015 Cricket World Cup are nearly in the books, with the final matches being played on Sunday, March 15. Five teams have already qualified, with three spots in Pool B still up for grabs.
Group B winners India will be joined by Pool A toppers New Zealand, co-hosts Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, while South Africa, Pakistan, Ireland and West Indies are battling it out over the last three tickets to the quarter-finals. Here's how the schedule for the remaining group-stage matches looks:
| March 12 | 1 a.m. | South Africa v UAE | Wellington |
| March 13 | 1 a.m. | Bangladesh v New Zealand | Hamilton |
| March 13 | 3:30 a.m. | England v Afghanistan | Sydney |
| March 14 | 1 a.m. | India v Zimbabwe | Auckland |
| March 14 | 3:30 a.m. | Australia v Scotland | Hobart |
| March 15 | 10 p.m. (day before) | West Indies v UAE | Napier |
| March 15 | 3:30 a.m. | Pakistan v Ireland | Adelaide |
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TV info and live stream: Sky Sports (UK) and ESPN (U.S.) carry full coverage of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, with mobile coverage available via the Sky Go app and ESPN Cricket 2015.
Key Remaining Fixtures
Bangladesh v New Zealand
The Black Caps are already sure of the top spot in Pool A, while Bangladesh currently sit in third, one point above Sri Lanka. Here are the complete standings, via the ICC's official Twitter account:
Australia and Sri Lanka will both play Scotland as their final group-stage opponent, and while the Scots have shown plenty of positives throughout the tournament, they should lose both those fixtures. That would leave Bangladesh in fourth place, setting up a difficult quarter-final match with defending champions India.
Such a fate can be avoided by beating New Zealand, who have yet to lose a single match but could be tempted to rest a number of key starters. The likes of Kane Williamson (team high batting average of 60.66) and Trent Boult (leading wicket-taker with 13, 3.86 economy) are just too important to risk an untimely injury right now.
As shared by cricket.com.au, a mysterious illness could have up to three unnamed players unavailable for the clash as well:
The Black Caps would love to finish the group stages undefeated and carry that momentum into the quarter-finals, while Bangladesh are rounding into form and will be desperate to avoid the men in blue.
Expect a fierce battle when these two teams meet on Friday, with more at stake than at first meets the eye.
West Indies v UAE, Ireland v Pakistan
Event organisers have saved the best for last, as the final matchday will decide which teams join India as qualifiers from Pool B. The current standings, via ICC:
South Africa should comfortably beat United Arab Emirates on Thursday and secure second place, but the final two quarter-final tickets won't be decided until Sunday. West Indies play UAE in a must-win match, while Pakistan and Ireland go head-to-head.
For Windies, the situation is simple. Providing no matches are abandoned, all they have to do is beat UAE, and beat them big. If Ireland lose to Pakistan, West Indies go through. If Pakistan lose, West Indies need to win by enough runs to boost their net run rate past Pakistan's.
On paper, that shouldn't present much of a problem for the side, but the Telegraph's Scyld Berry thinks the team's problems are far worse than some may think:
"All this administrative chaos and financial disorder is reflected in the West Indian batting. If Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels fire, as they did in their stand of 372 against Zimbabwe, fine. If Gayle runs Samuels out as he did in Perth, then gets caught hooking, no specialist batting remains to hold the team together – as Shiv Chanderpaul is back home, aged 40.
While the bowling is robust if not vintage, and the fielding and keeping athletic, the cupboard of West Indian batting seems empty – especially as the West Indian selectors, in the latest politicking, omitted Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard.
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Ireland put together a brave performance against defending champions India, who took their World Cup win streak to nine matches, but despite the confidence instilled by that match, they still face a tough challenge against an in-form Pakistan squad.
No batsman averages more than 50 runs—no bowler has taken double-digit wickets so far. Sunday's opponents are led by Misbah-ul-Haq, who currently sports an average of 55.40, and while Umar Akmal hasn't been his usual, dominant self, he is talented enough to explode at any time.
Bowling is where Pakistan will likely make a difference: Four of their bowlers currently have an economy rate under five—Rahat Ali even dips under four—while only one Irish bowler can match said feat in Alex Cusack.
Despite the statistics pointing to Pakistan as favourites, William Porterfield believes in his team's chances, via CricketNDTV:
West Indies and UAE will start their encounter over five hours before Pakistan and Ireland take to the pitch, so the latter two will know exactly what to do in what should be the perfect final fixture to end the group stages.
All statistics are courtesy of ESPN Cricinfo.
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