The West Indian duo, who topped Group ‘A’ with maximum six points, will now meet Sri Lanka's pair of veteran batsman Aravinda de Silva and Mahela Jayawardene in one semifinal.

The other semifinal will be a clash between Pakistan and New Zealand with the two winners advancing to today's final of US$175 000 event.

The champions will pocket a whopping US$65 000 dollars with the runners-up receiving US$30 000 dollars and the losing semifinalists US$20 000 dollars in this historic competition, which has been endorsed by both the ICC and the West Indies Cricket Board.

Hooper and Gayle, who had defeated the pairs from England and Zimbabwe on Friday's opening day, were in total control of their game against Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi when the match came to a premature end after just 3.5 of the allotted eight overs.

The two West Indian off-spinners had combined to dismiss Akram (on two occasions) and Afridi (four times) and at that stage, Pakistan were in the deficit by 23 runs.

Afridi was twice caught at long on by Wilden Cornwall in the first over from Hooper, who also bowled Akram twice in his second over for the excellent figures of four for 16 in two overs.

Gayle also bowled the big-hitting Afridi and had him caught by Hooper at short mid-wicket but Afridi aggravated a nagging back injury in the process and decided against continuing batting.

With Pakistan having defeated England by three runs in the first match of the day and already assured of a semifinal berth, the pair took the wise decision in the circumstances, not to risk compounding the situation.

In another morning match, the unbeaten New Zealand easily defeated South Africa by 39 runs to top Group ‘B’. Big left-hander Jacob Oram smashed 48 and Daniel Vettori weighed in with 21 runs as the two left-handers flayed the bowling of Allan Donald and Steve Elsworthy.

The highlight of the day came in the game between England and Zimbabwe when the English pair of Adam Hollioake and Andrew Flintoff belted the bowling of Alistair Campbell and Guy Whittall to all parts of the ground in a grand display of six-hitting.

Both Flintoff and Hollioake were credited with knocks of 56 but Flintoff actually scored 96, embellished by an amazing 12 sixes, off the eight overs delivered, even though he was deducted 40 runs because he was dismissed four times.

Hollioake, bowling leg-spin, had earlier taken six wickets for 31 runs in his four overs.

In the day's final match, Sri Lanka, piloted by some attractive stroke-play from de Silva and Jayawardene, easily defeated South Africa to clinch the last semifinal berth to set up a showdown with Gayle and Hooper.

RESULTS ON SATURDAY
Match 1: Pakistan beat England by 3 runs

England 38 (Flintoff 16, Hollioake 15, Extras 7; Akram 2-30, Afridi 1-34).

Pakistan 41 (Afridi 28, Akram 11, Extras 2; Flintoff 1-21, Hollioake 1-39).

Match 2: New Zealand beat South Africa by 39 runs

South Africa 34 (Elworthy 19, Donald 14, Extras 1; Vettori 0-20, Oram 0-13).

New Zealand 73 (Oram 48, Vettori 21, Extras 4; Elsworthy 1-35, Donald 0-47).

ROUND 3
Match 3: West Indies awarded the match after an injury to Afridi forced Pakistan to forfeit the match).

Pakistan -23 in 3.5 overs (Afridi -15, Akram -12; Hooper 4-16, Gayle 2-21).

Match 4: New Zealand beat Australia by 4 runs.

Australia 53 (Blewett 27, Davison 24, Extras 2; Oram 2-30, Vettori 0-43).

New Zealand 57 (Oram 33, Vettori 19, Extras 5; Davison 1-27, Blewett 1-45).

Match 5: England beat Zimbabwe by 96 runs.

Zimbabwe 16 (Campbell 36, Whittall -21, Extras 1; Hollioake 6-31, Flintoff 1-51).

England 112 (Flintoff 56, Hollioake 56; Campbell 3-80, Whittall 3-92).

Match 6: Sri Lanka beat South Africa by 28 runs.

South Africa 38 (Elsworthy 23, Donald 12, Extras 3; de Silva 2-26, Jayawardene 1-40).