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KARACHI, May 25: Pakistan might have qualified for the Super Sixes stage in the World Cup but their Friday's match against New Zealand will still be crucial. According to the format and playing conditions of the tournament, the teams will take carry over points from the league matches to the Super Sixes stage.

Clause 11.3 of the playing conditions reads: ``The six teams that qualify for the Super Six stage carry forward the points that they have gained against the other teams that have qualified from their respective groups. The points carried forward by each team are added to those they gain in the Super Six matches, to form the Super Six league table.''

This means that Pakistan have to secure a victory against New Zealand on Friday to be assured of maximum carry over points in the Super Six stage in case New Zealand qualify. But if Australia and the West Indies move ahead, Pakistan, having beaten both in the league matches, will automatically have a carry over of four points irrespective of the result of their Friday's match against the Black Caps.

The benefit of having a carry over of four points in the Super Six stage will be that Pakistan will have to win just one game out of three to qualify for the semi-finals.

Although the situation regarding the remaining two qualifiers behind Pakistan from Group B remains uncertain, New Zealand appear certain to be one of the two teams to forge ahead. Besides the match against Pakistan, New Zealand have also a game against Scotland in hand which makes their position certain to qualify for the Super Six stage.

Australia and the West Indies also have easier games against Bangladesh and Scotland respectively in hand. That means that the deciding game of the Group will be on May 30 when Australia meet the West Indies at Old Trafford.

If Australia beat the West Indies on May 30 and Pakistan defeat New Zealand, all the three teams (barring Pakistan) will end up with three wins and two defeats. In this scenario, clause 11.2 (c) will come into effect. It reads: ``When more than two teams have equal points and equal wins, the team which was the winner of the most number of matches played between those teams will be placed in the higher position.

``If still equal, the team with the higher net run-rate in the group matches will be placed in the higher position.''