World Cup: Cyclone threatens to blow away Australia, Bangladesh clash

SYDNEY: Tropical Cyclone Marcia looks certain to wash away Australia's World Cup clash against Bangladesh in Brisbane on Saturday while, in New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies try to resuscitate their flagging campaigns.

Marcia, a category five storm, slammed into the Queensland coast late Thursday with an ensuing deluge of rain expected to swamp the city's famed Gabba ground.

"World Cup organisers are working closely with authorities in Queensland regarding the match between Australia and Bangladesh given the extreme weather situation and the forecasts for ongoing rain in Brisbane," said an International Cricket Council statement.

"Our thoughts are with the people affected. However, as there is no reserve day for pool matches, we will continue to prepare in the hope that the match can go ahead.

"The ICC match officials will make a decision on the match on Saturday based on conditions at the time.

"The match can still go ahead with a delayed start if necessary. A match can be successfully completed if each side has a minimum of 20 overs, which means that it is still possible to achieve a result with a start after the scheduled innings break."

If the Pool A match is called off, a no-result will be declared and the teams awarded a point apiece.

Gabba head groundsman Kevin Mitchell admitted he wasn't optimistic the day-night game, set for a 0330 GMT start, would go ahead.

"Obviously with the forecast of the cyclone moving down the coast it doesn't look that great. You are always hopeful but it is not promising," Mitchell told the Australian Associated Press.

He added it could take hours to prepare the field -- if the torrential rain stopped.

"The way the system is tracking it will be north of Brisbane around lunch time tomorrow (Saturday)," he said.

"And considering it is a wide system, it will be a long time to go until it eases."

Australia captain Michael Clarke was set to return to the team after missing the co-hosts' opening 111-run win over England in Melbourne last weekend as he continued to recover from his long-standing hamstring injury.

In Christchurch, meanwhile, Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq dismissed talk of panic but conceded his side's batting woes needed to be addressed in their crunch Pool B match against the West Indies.

Both sides go into the Hagley Oval clash desperate to get points on the board after they each lost their first matches of the tournament.

Pakistan suffered a dramatic batting collapse when they were outclassed by India while the West Indies were upset by Ireland.

"This is an important game, and both teams need to win. We know that," Misbah said, adding Pakistan were well aware of their top-order frailties.

But he added "we are not panicking," when questioned over whether there would be changes to the side to face the West Indies.

Misbah's 76 against India was the only half-century in the Pakistan innings but he said he should not have been solely responsible for holding the batting together.

"It doesn't mean that all the time it should be me. It should be two other guys out of six or seven batsmen that are playing," he said.

West Indies linchpin Darren Sammy has been cleared to play after being hampered by a back strain in the loss to Ireland.