Groundsmen work on the pitch before the tour match, Benoni, December 12, 2013© Brendon Frost

Groundsmen work on the pitch before the tour match, Benoni, December 12, 2013

© Brendon Frost

Groundsmen work on the pitch before the tour match, Benoni, December 12, 2013© Brendon Frost

Canada v New Zealand, World Cup 2011, Group A, Mumbai

New Zealand ease to 97-run victory

Ashish Bagai and Jimmy Hansra

New Zealand walked to an easy 97-run win over Canada in Mumbai and sealed their place in the quarter-finals. They romped unchallenged to 358 for 6 and then held Canada to 261 for 9 in reply. Brendon McCullum's century, and a brutal late assault from Ross Taylor and the lower middle order, put the score well out of Canada's reach. Ashish Bagai's 84 and an unbeaten 70 from Jimmy Hansra ensured Canada at least reached their highest total of the tournament, but there was never even a hint that they would mount a challenge against New Zealand's effort.

Canada won the toss and Bagai chose to bowl, hoping to take advantage of any early-morning moisture on a pitch that had a typically reddish tinge to it. But after a reasonably disciplined start the bowlers' lines started to waver and Brendon McCullum, in particular, took a heavy toll. He repeatedly rifled cuts and drives through or over the off side, and had entered the 30s at better than a-run-a-ball when New Zealand's fifty came up in the ninth over.

Canada struck through some dogged medium pace from Harvir Baidwan and a stellar piece of wicketkeeping from Bagai, who has greatly enhanced his reputation behind the stumps in the course of this tournament. He held onto a thick edge, standing up, to get rid of Martin Guptill.

McCullum passed fifty and soon tired of accumulation when the field was set back, reverse-sweeping John Davison for the first boundary in six overs and then jumping down the track to swat legspinner Balaji Rao high over long-off. Jesse Ryder, who had tempered his usual aggression to reach 38 from 55 balls, looked to follow suit against Davison soon after but sliced across a flighted offspinner to present Henry Osinde with an easy catch at long-on.

Taylor flicked Osinde twice to the leg-side boundary to kick-start his innings and partnered Brendon McCullum to his third ODI hundred in the 36th over. With New Zealand's two most devastating batsmen at the crease, the batting Powerplay was called for immediately afterwards, but Brendon McCullum was its first victim when he slapped Baidwan straight to Ruvindu Gunasekara at extra cover.

Though Rao picked up two wickets in the remaining overs, including that of Taylor for a 44-ball 74 that included four mighty sixes in the space of a single over, Canada completely unravelled in the field as the score went stratospheric. A whopping 74 runs came from the batting Powerplay, and 122 from the last 10 overs, including 31 from the final over of the innings during which Rizwan Cheema was removed from the attack for his second beamer of the innings.

The signs were ominous for Canada when Ruvindu Gunasekara slashed at the first ball of Kyle Mills' second over and Taylor timed his leap to perfection at first slip to pluck the ball out of the air one handed. The boundary had still not been reached when, two overs later, Zubin Surkari hung his bat out limply at another Mills outswinger to offer Taylor his second catch.

Canada were 4 for 2 and sinking fast, but Bagai and Hiral Patel wasted no time in launching a spirited fightback. Their effort was no doubt helped by a premature end to Mills' spell when he pulled up lame one ball after he had dismissed Surkari, clutching at his left knee in some pain and leaving the field straightaway.

Powerful New Zealand post 358

Powerful New Zealand post 358

anada v New Zealand, World Cup 2011, Group A, Mumbai

Aggressive McCullum punishes Canada

Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum negotiated a tricky start against the moving ball, sprinting to 80 from just 76 balls to carry New Zealand to 135 for 1 halfway through their innings against Canada in Mumbai. McCullum put on 53 with Martin Guptill and a further 82 for the second wicket with Jesse Ryder, who reached a patient, unbeaten 33. Harvir Baidwan's dismissal of Guptill had given Canada a much-needed lift, but despite the helpful conditions it appears they will still be chasing a hefty total this afternoon.

Canada won the toss and Ashish Bagai chose to bowl first, hoping to take advantage of any early-morning moisture in the pitch. The ball did indeed deviate significantly both through the air and off the grassy surface, and Khurram Chohan appeared slightly surprised by the hooping inswing he found first up. His first over included three leg-side wides and a huge appeal for lbw that would have missed the leg stump.

Henry Osinde curved the ball in the opposite direction, away from the bat, at slightly increased pace but after a disciplined start he repeatedly offered too much width and McCullum, in particular took a heavy toll. He repeatedly aimed rifling cuts and drives through or over the off side, and had entered the 30s at better than a-run-a-ball when New Zealand's fifty came up in the ninth over.

Canada struck back through some dogged medium pace from Harvir Baidwan and a stellar piece of wicketkeeping from Ashish Bagai, who has greatly enhanced his reputation behind the stumps in the course of this tournament. Baidwan stuck to an off-stump line despite the punishment he received from McCullum, nibbling the ball both ways off the pitch, and had his reward when Guptill prodded forward to a legcutter and Bagai, standing up, whipped his hands across to hold onto a thin edge.

The wicket did nothing to slow McCullum down, however, and he brought up a 38-ball fifty - his 20th in one-day internationals - in just the 13th over. Ryder soon got going with a brace of boundaries - a scything square drive and a barrel-chested pull - off Baidwan but after the Bowling Powerplay the field was set back in defence and the batsmen seemed happy to simply knock the ball around for ones and twos.

The spinners were brought on and found the pitch as helpful as the seamers had early on, generally keeping the batsmen quiet as the run-rate dipped slightly. New Zealand eased past 100 in the 18th over and McCullum soon tired of accumulating his runs in singles, reverse-sweeping John Davison for the first boundary in six overs and then jumping down the track to swat legspinner Balaji Rao high over long-off.

Canada: 1 Ruvindu Gunasekera, 2 Zubin Surkari, 3 Ashish Bagai (capt/wk), 4 Jimmy Hansra, 5 Rizwan Cheema, 6 Hiral Patel, 7 John Davison, 8 Harvir Baidwan, 9 Khurram Chohan, 10 Henry Osinde, 11 Balaji Rao

New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Jesse Ryder, 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 Kane Williamson, 6 Scott Styris, 7 James Franklin, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Jacob Oram, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Tim Southee

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat

New Zealand v Pakistan, Group A, World Cup 2011, Pallekele

New Zealand brace for in-form Pakistan

Ryder unfit as New Zealand bat

New Zealand

Pakistan

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat

Greg: "Why do New Zealand continue to pick How ahead of Williamson? I am sure Kane is a better option and you can't continue to leave him out of the team."

Kevin: "Seeing Rajesh's DRS numbers, it would be fun picking an Umpire to your Fantasy team and rewarded with points for his 'Decision Upheld'." You saw Fantasy even in that!

shahzad: "Fairly Balanced side for Pakistan. I hope the openers fires up for them today. They have been fairly quiet."

Rishan: "How could you do this to me Jesse?! I just picked you last night for my fantasy team and you become unfit!!"

Our stats man, Madhu, says that Pakistan's unpredictability sets up an even contest. Do you think so? Who will win today?

Ali Abbas: "This is a good toss to lose for Pakistan. All three matches they have won defending scores time to test their run chasing ability."

2 pm Toss Daniel Vettori wins the toss and New Zealand will have a bat. Dan: "Looks like a dry wicket. The grass means the bounce should be consistent, and it should be a decent batting wicket. Unfortunately, Jesse Ryder is out, and Jacob Oram is in."

Afridi: "Shoaib and Rehman are back for Wahab and Ajmal." I hope your Fantasy XIs are being updated quickly.

The Decision Review System has been much used, much appreciated, much maligned, and tinkered with a bit. S Rajesh has some interesting numbers on its usage in the World Cup

Just a few minutes to go for the toss. What will be the playing XIs today? Let us know.

Danny Morrison says there is some grass on the wicket, it is new grass. The new ball will move around a little bit, there is something there for the fast bowlers. He says given the pleasant conditions, it will be difficult not to bat first, but it is going to be a tough decision to take.

These two sides have seen a lot of each other recently, and Pakistan were winners in the Test as well as ODI series in New Zealand. George Binoy, in his preview, thinks that if Pakistan play like Pakistan can, they should win this one too. He thinks Shahid Afridi will be key, and Osman Samiuddin takes a look at just how important Afridi the bowler has been for Pakistan over the years.

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Group A match between New Zealand and Pakistan in Pallekele. This will be the first international game at this ground, after the Test match between Sri Lanka and West Indies which will be remembered only for the amount of rain Pallekele received during that period.

Current time: 14:17 local, 08:47 GMT | Match begins in: 0:13