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Paul Boesen and Oliver Johansson bail Denmark out against Qatar
Their 127-run partnership for the 6th-wicket rescued Denmark from 94/5 while chasing 226
Their 127-run partnership for the 6th-wicket rescued Denmark from 94/5 while chasing 226
![sdKOaH4.png](https://i.imgur.com/sdKOaH4.png)
Denmark's bench watches on intensely as the final overs play out in Christchurch © Associated Press, December 7, 2003
ROUNDUP OF ROUND 8
Denmark made a wonderful comeback to keep their World Cup alive, knocking Qatar out of the knockouts race instead.
Denmark made a wonderful comeback to keep their World Cup alive, knocking Qatar out of the knockouts race instead.
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Match 29, Canada vs Wales, Hakupu
A tragic washout between Canada and Wales spelled the end of Wales' World Cup, who could only manage one win in their three completed games. This washout also sends Canada back to second-place, displacing Bermuda and making their encounter with them in the ninth round a virtual knockout. Whoever wins that game, goes through alongside India, who are likely going to win the group unless Bermuda win with a landside against Canada. Aside from Canada and Bermuda, Saudi Arabia have managed to somehow still stay in the race, but their qualification chances rely on the match between Bermuda and Canada being abandoned. Which, it likely will be, but so will Saudi Arabia's match in the tenth round. With more washouts predicted in the final two rounds, Canada are the likeliest to qualify alongside India from Group C.
Result: Match abandoned without a ball bowled
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Match 30, Israel vs Morocco, Dunedin
Being put in a must-win situation, Morocco's batsmen completely shit the bed. They won the toss and chose to bat first on a batting haven, only to be blown over by Israel for a substandard 233. One would think they would've learned to not do that after their botch-job against Pakistan, after Morocco's bowlers practically served them the win on a golden platter. Nevertheless, Israel's lack of form did eventually come back to bite them, as Sufyan Ben Barka's 4-wicket haul, alongside El Mahi Khatibi and Abdelkarim Toulali's supporting roles with the ball, bailed Morocco out by dismissing Israel for 181 on Dunedin's flat deck.
Morocco held on tightly to this win to keep their match against South Africa true to its 'virtual knockout' billing, as a loss here would've severely complicated things for all parties involved. Israel on the other hand, needed a win to stay in the knockouts race, which they failed to get, and so, were knocked out from the World Cup.
Result: Morocco won by 52 runs
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Match 31, Denmark vs Qatar, Christchurch
Christchurch witnessed another high-profile encounter in this World Cup, as Denmark took on Qatar, who were on the brink of elimination heading into this match. Having won the toss and choosing to bat first, Qatar were given a solid start by their top-order batsmen. Al-Amin Ahmed and Basheer Rashed were particularly good, with the former finishing the innings on 78, the highest score of Qatar's batting card. Basheer Rashed however, couldn't convert his start and was dismissed at a crucial point in this game. Once Denmark dismissed these two batsmen, their bowling brought them back with disciplined bowling resulting in regular breakthroughs. They found wickets and dried up runs to bowl Qatar out for 225 despite the flying start their top-order batters, Al-Amin Ahmed and Basheer Rashed provided them with.
Denmark in their innings, were dealt a blow early on but recovered well with Niels Hjort and Aksel Johansson adding fifty runs for the second-wicket. Once that partnership was broken however, Qatar ran through Denmark's middle-order to reduce them to 94/5, putting not only a win, but a very handsome win on the cards. However, a remarkable turnaround saw Paul Boesen, who was dropped by Denmark in the previous game, add a match-winning 127-run partnership for the sixth-wicket alongside Oliver Johansson, Denmark's most valuable ODI player in recent times, to give Denmark a thumping come-from-behind win against Qatar.
In a match crucial to both teams, but perhaps more so to Qatar, the Qataris came up a little short despite having their opponents by the ropes in the second innings. On most occasions they would've finished the job, but on this one, a spectacular resistance shown by Denmark's lower-order helped them overcome Qatar's formidable attack. Qatar bow out of the World Cup, the first team eliminated from Group A, as Denmark lives to fight another day in this group of literal death.
Result: Denmark won by 2 wickets (with 45 deliveries remaining)
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Match 32, New Zealand vs Russia, Napier
New Zealand made it three wins in three games following their thumping victory against the Russians in Napier. Michel Gottlieb remained unbeaten on 78* as New Zealand scaled Russia's 235 with ease, getting there with 5 wickets and 15 deliveries to spare. Despite their win being so one-sided, many still criticized New Zealand for not being as clinical as they should've been against a side as inexperienced as Russia's, citing how tough the group has been for the its top-three teams, and with their match against China still yet to come, it could all come down to these fine margins which New Zealand have done the least to improve out of the top-three teams.
Result: New Zealand won by 5 wickets (with 15 deliveries remaining)
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