By RICHARD BOOCK
New Zealand's chances of qualifying for the second round of the cup ultimately depend on Sri Lanka's form at the end of the month - and the weather remaining fine for their final two group B games.
Yesterday's win has left New Zealand with a strong chance of progressing if they can wind up their early commitments with wins over Bangladesh and Canada.
However, with no reserve days scheduled in group play, New Zealand could still be cruelly eliminated if either of those games were washed out, or if they finished equal on points with the Sri Lankans.
In the event of a two-way tie, teams will be separated on the basis of their head-to-head result.
The other danger is if Sri Lanka, who play the West Indies and South Africa on February 28 and March 3, respectively, lose both their games and end up in a three-way tie with New Zealand and the hosts.
If three teams are equal on points at the end of the group stage, net run-rate will be used to determine the successful qualifiers.
The permutations of the remaining fixtures weigh most heavily on South Africa, who - weather permitting - can only qualify if Sri Lanka beat the West Indies and then lose to the hosts in their last game of the group.
However, if Sri Lanka win both games, New Zealand would end up in second place in the group standings: a remarkable result given they effectively started the competition four points in arrears and with the toughest draw of the tournament.
World Cup schedule
Points table
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