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The World Cup of cricket is now down to four teams and according to the latest odds, Pakistan are favourites to win, with South Africa and Australia joint second and followed, obviously, by New Zealand who pipped Zimbabwe for the fourth spot in the semi-finals.

The most exciting team in the game, Pakistan, with batsmen like Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmed, Yousuf Youhana and Inzamam Ul-Haq, and a bowling attack of pacers Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Azhar Mahmood, and Abdul Razzaq plus offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq certainly deserve to be favourites.

Apart from boasting a string of strokeplayers as specialist batsmen and five accomplished bowlers - including three pacers who swing the ball and one who is the fastest in the business, Pakistan are also blessed with a wicketkeeper like Moin Khan who is not only a good batsman but also a good striker of the ball, and in Razzaq, Mahmood and Akram, with three bowlers who can bat.

As gifted as they are, however, and as glorious as they can be, Pakistan have a history of inconsistency, and although they should get by New Zealand even if they are a bit below their best, they will have to be at the top of their form to put away either South Africa or Australia.

South Africa, who started the tournament as favourites, are not as exciting as Pakistan.

In Jacques Kallis, Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener, however, they possess one outstanding batsman, and three top flight pace bowlers; in Jonty Rhodes and Herschelle Gibbs, they parade two of the best fielders in the game; and in Klusener, they boast an allrounder who is rated the most powerful hitter around.

On top of that, South Africa's batting goes deep in the order, they represent the best fielding team in the business, and they are well drilled.

Like South Africa, Australia cannot touch Pakistan when it comes to exciting play. In Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh, however, in Glen McGrath and Shane Warne, Australia have two brilliant batsmen and two outstanding bowlers, and in Ricky Ponting, also one of the world's top fielders.

Again like South Africa, Australia's batting, which also includes Ponting, Darren Lehman, Michael Bevan and Tom Moody, goes deep, and although they are second best to Hansie Cronje's stars, they are also brilliant in the field.

Unlike South Africa, however, and also Pakistan, Australia's bowling is a problem.

Where as Pakistan have a complement of topclass bowlers, and so too South Africa with Pollock, Kallis, Donald, Klusener and Steve Elworthy, Australia are limited.

In pacer McGrath and right-arm legspinner Shane Warne, they possess only two of quality. The others, pacers Damien Fleming, Paul Reiffel, Lehman and Moody and left-arm spinner Bevan consistently give away too many runs.

While hardly any one at the start of the tournament expected New Zealand to reach the final four for the fourth time, they are there; and although the odds are against them moving on, such has been the surprises so far, such is the ability of Pakistan to self destruct, that it would be foolish to write them off.

The Kiwis are not as blessed as any of Pakistan, South Africa and Australia. Left-arm pacer Geoff Allott has been bowling well, however, Roger Twose has been batting well, Stephen Fleming and Chris Cairns are competent batsmen, they play simple, efficient cricket, and if they get a look in, if Pakistan bat first and their batting fails to fire, they could be dangerous - Akhtar or no Akhtar, Akram or no Akram.

Who will be the last two?

Pakistan should be one, and after their brilliant victory on Sunday when, thanks to superb performances from Steve Waugh and Ponting and probably Gibbs' blunder when he dropped Waugh, they defeated South Africa in a nail-biting finish, the other should be Australia who went into the Super Six round without a point, won all three matches to squeeze through, and must be bubbling with confidence.

Kallis, the number three batsman, opening bowler, and brilliant catcher who missed Sunday's match due to injury, will be back in the South African line-up, however, and despite Australia's psychological advantage, that could make the difference in what promises to be another thrilling contest as the two teams which started the hunt as the top favourites battle for a place in the final.