Pool phase completed, quarterfinal berths sealed

Following the completion of the pool phase of the cricket World Cup, quarterfinal berths were on Sunday finally decided after several weeks of anticipation.

The first quarterfinal at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Wednesday will be played between Pool A third-place finishers Sri Lanka and Pool B second-placed South Africa.

The second last-eight match will see the defending champions and Pool B toppers India take on Bangladesh, who finished fourth in Pool A, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday.

The next knockout match on Friday will see co-hosts and four-time World Cup champions Australia, second-placed in Pool A, take on 1992 edition winners Pakistan, who ended third in Pool B, at the Adelaide Oval.

The final quarterfinal will be played at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday between co-hosts New Zealand, who topped Pool A with six wins, and the West Indies, who finished fourth in Pool B.

The winners of the quarterfinals will qualify for the semifinals which will be played at the Eden Park in Auckland and at the SCG on March 24 and 26, respectively.

The tournament final will be played at the MCG on March 29.

Quarterfinal fixtures:

March 18: South Africa vs Sri Lanka at Sydney Cricket Ground

March 19: India vs Bangladesh at Melbourne Cricket Ground

March 20: Australia vs Pakistan at Adelaide Oval

March 21: New Zealand vs West Indies at Westpac Stadium, Wellington