Cricket World Cup: Michael Hussey previews all four enticing quarter-final showdowns

WHICH team has pulled a selection trump-card, who is most desperate to bat first, which team is flying under the radar? Mike Hussey has all the final eight answers.

Accident that may win Australia World Cup

WORLD Cup winner MIKE HUSSEY gives his guide on what will happen from Wednesday, when the showpiece tournament heats up for four explosive quarter-final match-ups.

Which team has pulled a selection trump-card, who is most desperate to bat first, why one of the favourites isn’t a one-man band and which team is flying under the radar?

Steve Smith’s move to No.3 has certainly helped the Aussies, says Mike Hussey.

AUSTRALIA v PAKISTAN, Friday Adelaide Oval

Steve Smith to No.3 and Shane Watson down to the middle order, it’s the accidental masterstroke that could win Australia the World Cup.

That’s the opinion of former Test and one-day great Hussey, who believes the positional switch has given Australia balance, power and unpredictability in their batting order.

Selectors might have stumbled across the new combination by accident as they fumbled around with Watson’s demotion and resurrection, but the end result is a top seven that looks near impossible to break down.

Hussey says the potential benefits of the Smith and Watson swap is two-fold.

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Smith gets a chance to hammer home a summer for the ages, and Watson has been handed a new lease of life.

“One, Steve Smith has just had an unbelievable summer and you might as well ride that wave as much as you can and get him in there early,” said Hussey.

“It really compliments the batting order really well, where you’ve got some powerful players at the top, then you’ve got the real workers and the guys who can control the innings really well in the middle in Clarke and Smith.

“And then you’ve got more power to come in and finish it off – and a lot of power at that, with Watson, Maxwell, Faulkner and Haddin.

“I guess the second part of it is coming into the tournament, teams would have been planning on how to get Shane Watson out early while the ball was really new.

“And now obviously they’re going to have to change their plans, which is disruptive.”

Hussey believes if Australia handles the pressure and expectation of hosting these knock-out games, they will be too good for Pakistan.

However, Mr Cricket admits there’s shades of 1992 for Pakistan – when they came from the clouds on Australian soil to clinch the World Cup.

South Africa have got a big job in front of them to overcome Sri Lanka.

SOUTH AFRICA v SRI LANKA, Wednesday SCG

Incredibly, South Africa have never won a World Cup knock-out match, and at the SCG they must overcome one of the best batting teams in the tournament if they’re to break open the hoodoo.

That means AB de Villiers will be anxious to bat first against Sri Lanka, according to Hussey, who has worked with the Proteas as a coaching consultant throughout the group stages.

It goes without saying that if South Africa loses; they’ll be on a plane home.

But should they absorb the weight of expectation and win the quarter, Hussey believes the rainbow nation will have the confidence they need to go all the way.

“From South Africa’s point of view, this quarter-final hurdle is the first one they’ve got to get over. History says they’ve actually not won a knock-out game before,” said Hussey.

“I think they’d prefer to bat first and get a big score on the board and try and defend it as they generally defend pretty well.

“Big game, quarterfinal. Get the runs on the board and then you’ve got that scoreboard pressure (on Sri Lanka) as well.

Kumar Sangakkara has already broken the world record with four consecutive hundreds, and the prospect of he and Dilshan settling in is bad news for South Africa.

Already this tournament they’ve flunked against India and Pakistan, but Hussey insists the Proteas aren’t panicking.

India have looked the goods so far in the tournament.

INDIA v BANGLADESH, Thursday MCG

Who would have thought a nation with 1.25 billion people watching on could fly under the radar, but that’s exactly what’s happened with India this tournament.

MS Dhoni’s men are used to being the team under the most pressure.

But after failing to win a single game in their disastrous Test and one-day tour of Australia, most thought India were completely shot.

India should take care of plucky Bangladesh, but Hussey believes the surprise factor could see the sub-continent superstars power onto back-to-back World Cup titles.

To do so they would most likely need to seek revenge over Australia for a summer of pain in a semi-final at the SCG.

“I must admit I wasn’t sure about their chances of getting through to the semi-finals,” he said.

“I was a bit worried about their bowling attack and how they bowled at the death, but their bowlers have been outstanding, they really have.

“I guess you can look at it two ways. One, they could be tired and jaded and sick of being in Australia and want to go home.

“But on the other side of the coin, at least they’ve had plenty of opportunity to get used to the conditions, the grounds and see what the crowds are like.

“So they’re ready to play.”

Can Brendon McCullum inspire a Kiwi title win?

NEW ZEALAND v WEST INDIES, Saturday Wellington

The Black Caps are undefeated and flying ahead of their match-up against the battling Windies.

But are New Zealand a one-man band?

There’s a feeling that if explosive opener Brendon McCullum goes early in an elimination game, the house of cards might fold around him.

Hussey disagrees and believes the Black Caps have the all-round talent to fire even if their biggest star fails.

However, he does foresee the adjustment from underdogs to favourites as a tough transition for New Zealand to make.

“No, I don’t think they’re too reliant on Brendon McCullum. He’s probably their most important player, but Kane Williamson is right up there, Guptill has been in good touch, Ross Taylor is a world-class player and they’ve got the power of Corey Anderson and Luke Ronchi,” he said.

“But New Zealand have never been the favourites before. I think they’ve loved the underdog tag in the past, so it’s how they deal with it now they’re one of the favourites.

“It’s something that’s easy to say but to actually be able to execute is really, really difficult.”

LIKELY SEMI-FINAL match-ups

Australia v India at SCG

New Zealand v South Africa/Sri Lanka at Eden Park

*Great seats available to all quarter-finals in Australia, please visit cricketworldcup.com