India knew on Saturday they would face Bangladesh in Melbourne while South Africa meet Sri Lanka in Sydney on Wednesday.
Each match will have a favourite, but they still offer intriguing possibilities.
Once the West Indies beat the United Arab Emirates in Napier yesterday, Ireland, for all their impressive performances and rising standards - not to forget three wins in their first five matches - still had to beat Pakistan to make the last eight.
Their captain William Porterfield did his bit, with a fine 107, but the middle order got bogged down as Pakistan's fast-medium quintet went to work.
They were dismissed for 237 and once Sarfraz Ahmed and Ahmed Shehzad put on 120 for the first wicket Pakistan were always in charge, winning with 23 balls to spare.
Sarfraz finished unbeaten on 101, his country's first century in the tournament, and 35th overall. He cut it fine, reaching three figures with a solitary run required for the victory.
It says something for an event in which the final qualifiers are not decided until the 42nd and last group match.
Six nations have headed home, some with their narrow ambitions fulfilled, to wit Afghanistan; others, cue England, to howls of derision and calls for a wholesale dismantling of the structure of their game.
But games from now on will stay longer in the memory than all bar a small handful from pool play.
New Zealand completed their 100 percent record against Bangladesh in Hamilton and will head to Wellington feeling good about themselves and their game.
They will settle in to work through thir plans for Chris Gayle and the other talented, if erratic West Indians.
Coach Mike Hesson, if not toey, was in a forthright mood in looking ahead.
He made the point that New Zealand have faced criticism that some opposition haven't been much chop, or they haven't won as well as they could have. They can't win, so to speak.
It's a dilemma the All Blacks have dealt with for decades but most pertinently in the last few years with the rise of social media as an outlet for the malcontents.
A chat with his mate, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, would be instructive.
"Welcome to my world, pal," Hansen might mutter.
Still, it's not a bad problem for a coach. Hesson's men have been true to their own words and philosophy - just keep winning.
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