Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq watches the team train during a practice session in Kingston yesterday. He will be on the way out of one-day cricket and the captaincy after today's match against Zimbabwe at Sabina Park. - Reuters

Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

ACTION IN the Cricket World Cup continues today at Sabina Park. It is match number five of six. It is Pakistan versus Zimbabwe, an once upon a time it would have been considered a one-sided affair with the odds heavily on Pakistan to win, this time around, and for many reasons, it is expected to be a no-holds barred, bruising contest.

For Pakistan it will be a desperate battle to prevent the embarrassment of not only finishing last in Group D of the game's showpiece, but also of finishing without a point in a group that includes not only rank outsiders Zimbabwe, but also the unheralded Ireland.

For Zimbabwe, however, today's contest does not only present an opportunity to tick off a victory against one of the big guns of world cricket, it is also a chance to move on.

Last time out, in 2003, Zimbabwe crashed the party when they finished third in Group A and strolled into the Super Sixes and today is a chance for them to repeat the unexpected and squeeze into the Super Eights.

Embarrassing defeat

Coming into the tournament, Pakistan were one of the favourites to go all the way and win it. After losing to the West Indies on opening day, however, Pakistan skidded to an embarrassing defeat against Ireland and now find themselves not only out of contention for a place in the second round, for a spot in the Super Eights, but also fighting for a victory that would hand them two points and take them off the floor.

Coming into the tournament with a fairly young and inexperienced team, Zimbabwe were expected, at best, to finish in third place behind Pakistan and the West Indies.

After looking all over the winners at one stage against Ireland, Zimbabwe ended up tying that game an they lost to the West Indies on Monday, they are still alive.

With one point in the bag from their tie with Ireland, with the West Indies on four from their two victories and with Ireland on three from one tie and one win, victory today for Zimbabwe would leave them on three points - tied with Ireland and awaiting the result of the West Indies/Ireland contest on Friday.

If Zimbabwe win today and Ireland, despite their shock victory over Pakistan, lose on Friday, both teams would finish on three points each, and with both teams finishing with one win, one tie and one loss, the one to join the West Indies into the second round would depend on net run rate, possibly on wickets taken per balls bowled and with the match between them ending in a tie, probably even on drawing lots.

First things come first, however, the first thing, probably the only thing on Zimbabwe's mind is that they need to win today's match and the question is this: Can they, despite what happened to Pakistan against Ireland, do so?

Looking at both teams, looking at Pakistan's batting line-up - a line-up that includes Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik plus Kamran Akmal and hopefully Shahid Afridi, who has sat out his two-match suspension, looking at their bowling attack - an attack that includes pacers Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami and Iftikhar Rao plus, possibly, legspinner Danish Kaneria and hopefully legspinner Afridi, Pakistan should win.

Although Zimbabwe possess a few good batsmen and bowlers in Vusimuzi Sibanda, Chamu Chibhabha, Brendan Taylor, Stuart Matsikenyeri and Sean Williams, in pacers Christopher Mpofu and Anthony Ireland and captain and off-spinner Prosper Utseya, their talent and certainly their skill are short of Pakistan's.

Apart from the effect of the death of their coach Bob Woolmer, Pakistan must also still be shell shocked after their defeat at the hands of Ireland the Sabina Park pitch was excellent for batting on opening day, the grass has come up since then, that has made the pitch a God-send for seam bowlers and Pakistan's batsmen, even at their best, do not like two things.

Pakistan's batsmen do not like it when the ball seams about or when it bounces more than it usually does.

Normally against opposition like Zimbabwe it would not matter. This time, however, the toss, as it was in the match between Pakistan and Ireland, could be important - and very important at that.

Class, however, is class, an with some exciting batsman on either side, with so much at stake for either side, it could be a toe-to-toe battle for close to 100 overs, it should be Pakistan - all the way and comfortably at that.