Mark Greatbatch: Sri Lanka and Pakistan could be bigger threats for finals

Kumar Sangakkara looks in ominous form. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Observing the Cricket World Cup over the past week, Sri Lanka (with their win over England) and Pakistan (with wins over Zimbabwe and South Africa) could be bigger threats than first thought.

Before that you had what I considered the four top teams: New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and India.

However, watching Kumar Sangakkara and the Sri Lankan top order batsmen make short work of England, then Wahab Riaz and the Pakistani pace bowlers deliver against South Africa, it's added another couple of contenders to the tournament.

I'm not saying either will win but it wouldn't surprise if they went beyond the quarter-finals.

Given a subcontinental side has been in the final every World Cup since 1992, it's on the cards.

I know Sangakkara from my coaching days in England and the way he played was ominous.

If they get in on a good wicket, they're capable of hauling in anything on a given day with at least four world-class batters. The flipside is they're not a really aggressive bowling side, or as good as New Zealand or Australia.

I went to the South Africa-Pakistan game. That was a great contest, made all the better because cricket fever reached Eden Park without the home side playing.

The Pakistan side are not as good as their 1992 compatriots but have some guys capable of special things. They play what seems an old style of ODI batting.

They don't go helter-skelter like Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, but I thought the Proteas' chase was at too high a tempo and they got found out.

As a left-armer, Wahab is a star in the making who bowls quickly and swings it. That's causing havoc.

He's got a beautiful action and reminds me of Wasim Akram, which used to scare me a fair bit.

His efforts continue the tournament theme of great swing bowling from the likes of Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Mitchell Starc. Wahab is a serious wicket-taker when he gets it right. Compare that with South Africa who didn't swing it that much. I rate Dale Steyn but they've got to master late swing by pitching full rather than coming from the arm.

As for New Zealand, we've continued to consistently get the job done but in the next game it'd be good to bat first to get a decent innings heading into the quarter-finals.

At least yesterday Ross Taylor spent almost an hour and a half out there, with the innings lasting 36.1 overs.

In relation to the performers, Daniel Vettori has been outstanding. He's in a rhythm, looks as fit as he has in years and is finishing his career as a top-level sportsman.

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