Short deliveries: Green shirts remain on course; De Villiers' men revel in the wet; Porterfield plots Windies downfall

New Zealand v Pakistan

New Zealand qualified for the Super Eights despite a 13-run loss to Pakistan. Mohammed Hafeez led by example and Saeed Ajmal bamboozled the batsmen as the 2009 champions Pakistan eased to victory.

After Pakistan elected to bat first, Hafeez (43) forged a 76-run second wicket partnership with Nasir Jamshed (56), cashing in on New Zealand's uncharacteristically sloppy fielding, to help his team post 177 for 6 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan's slow bowlers did not allow the New Zealand top order to accelerate and off-spinner Ajmal (4 for 30) denied them the late burst to restrict them to 164 for 9.

Shahid Afridi got one wicket for 30 runs and, even though Hafeez did not get a wicket, the Pakistan captain sent down four tidy overs conceding only 15 runs to stifle his opponents.

Pakistan will make the Super Eights if they avoid a heavy defeat against Bangladesh tomorrow.

Sri Lanka v South Africa

A B de Villiers pointed to South Africa's experience with wet weather in England this summer as a contributor to their 32-run win over Sri Lanka in a rain-curtailed, seven-over match.

South Africa ran up an impressive 78 for 4, to which Sri Lanka could only muster 46 for 5 in reply. De Villiers said: "We played a couple [of rain-shortened games] in England towards the end of our series. We spoke about what we learnt from England and it was fresh in our minds when we went out."

Ireland

Ireland have been struck by illness in the camp on the eve of their do-or-die World Twenty20 match with the West Indies.

Captain William Porterfield confirmed several players were unwell but insisted the outbreak did not spell the end to Irish hopes of reaching the Super 8s in Sri Lanka.

"A few lads have gone down with upset stomachs," Porterfield said. "As long as everyone wakes up well tomorrow morning, hopefully we'll have a full squad to pick from."

Ireland were continuing to plot their game plan for the Group B tie in Colombo, where both sides will be looking to recover from opening defeats against Australia. With the likes of the West Indies' big-hitting opener Chris Gayle so potentially dangerous, Porterfield acknowledges the importance of Ireland getting off to a good start.

"They can be very destructive but they've got the capability of getting out as well," Porterfield said. "So we'll be looking to put pressure on them and the first six overs with bat and ball are going to be crucial.

"If you can restrict them in those first six overs and obviously pick up a few wickets and get a bit of a start ourselves that'll be key to the game."

Yesterday's results

Group D (Pallekele): Pakistan 177-6 (Jamshed 56, Hafeez 43) bt New Zealand 164-9 (Nicol 33, B McCullum 32) by 13 runs.

Group A (Colombo): India 170-4 (Sharma 80*, Gambhir 45) bt England 80 all out (Kieswetter 35, Dernbach 12) by 90 runs

Today's fixture

Group B (Colombo, 3pm BST)

Ireland v West Indies

Tuesday's fixture

Group D (Pallekele, 3pm)

Bangladesh v Pakistan