The Upsets

The World Cup is off to a furious and unpredictable start. Five days into it Pakistan were eliminated by Ireland causing perhaps the biggest ever upset in World Cup play. Earlier I had predicted the three likeliest teams to produce an upset (http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.cricket/browse_frm/thread/e68e7230d3894d05/9f33a72e4cba197f?lnk=gst&q=arahim+likely&rnum=1&hl=en#9f33a72e4cba197f). With India's defeat at the hands of Bangladesh two of them happened at the same day. At least one of Ireland and Zimbabwe will make it to the Super Eights. Bangladesh have positioned themselves well to do so. Kenya also is in with a chance considering England's woeful play and the fact that even New Zealand has been a little up and down. In the end as many as three minnows may show up in the Super Eights. That may prove a headache for the ICC in terms of revenues and attendance at the games. Also the broadcasters are going to lose money and can not be too happy. This can leave more than half the games in the Super Eights not very competitive and the Super Eights rather redundant with the semifinalists known to a large extent at the start of the Super Eights rather than at the end of it (largely their order to be determined).
The world cup hailed as the most open may be reduced to a competition between four teams before the Super Eights begin. More like a Super Fours. Isn't that what they call the semifinals?