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The Super Six round of the World Cup of cricket is down to its last three matches and who would have believed at this stage two of the top three favourites would be fighting for survival or that one of the rank outsiders would be in with a glorious chance of getting into the last four.

That, however, is how it is.

With six points already in the bag, early favourites South Africa have booked their place in the semi-finals and with five points in their pockets, Zimbabwe, who started off the hunt for the title at odds of 80-1, are looking good.

The two of the three early favourites who are fighting for survival are Australia and Pakistan and although both could make it, one could fail to do so. It will all depend on their fortunes in their final matches of the round which will see Pakistan up against Zimbabwe today, New Zealand versus India tomorrow and Australia up against South Africa on Sunday.

If Pakistan defeat Zimbabwe as expected, they will go to six points and will move on and if Australia defeat South Africa, they also will move on to join South Africa in the last four.

If, however, Pakistan, who have lost their three previous matches, lose to Zimbabwe, who beat them in a Test series in Pakistan last year and who knocked off India and South Africa in the first round, if Australia lose to South Africa and if New Zealand defeat India, New Zealand will qualify with Pakistan and Australia tied for the fourth spot.

If one wins and the other loses, the winner will automatically go through, with the fate of the loser depending on what happens in the New Zealand/India match.

If that happens and New Zealand defeat India, the loser will be out. The losers' only chance then would be if India defeat New Zealand as that would leave the loser and India tied on four points.

There is also one other possibility: if Pakistan and Australia win, and if New Zealand defeat India, it would then be South Africa, Pakistan and Australia through with six points each, Zimbabwe and New Zealand tied on five with the tie-breaker rule to decide who would go on.

Who will join South Africa in the last four? A good bet is that it will be Pakistan, Australia and Zimbabwe. So much, however, as far as upsets and surprises are concerned, has happened in World Cup '99 that there could be a twist or two still to come and it may all come down, not only to the last match of the round between South Africa and Australia who were first and second favourites at the start, but also to the tie-breaker - to who won most matches against the Super Six qualifiers, to the winner of the head-to-head clash if two teams finished tied, to the winner of most matches involving the teams tied if more than two are tied, to runrate, to wicket rate per balls bowled in matches against Super Six qualifiers in which results were achieved, and if they are still tied after that, to the drawing of lots.