Pakistan were hurried into the World Cup semi-finals by a dramatic hat-trick from Saqlain Mushtaq at The Oval yesterday.

Saqlain dealt his triple strike to Zimbabwe's last three men, Henry Olonga, Adam Huckle (both stumped by Moin Khan) and Mpumelelo Mbangwa (lbw) - and Pakistan triumphed by 148 runs.

The off-spinner, soon to begin his third season with Surrey, will take bigger wickets in the remainder of the tournament, but to a bowler, a hat-trick is a golden prize not to be downgraded.

It was the second hat-trick to be taken in the 24-year history of the World Cup, after India's Chetan Sharma claimed the first - all bowled - against New Zealand in Nagpur in 1987. Saqlain's other one-day hat-trick also came at Zimbabwe's expense.

But the most significant contribution to the game was Saeed Anwar's second successive international hundred, plus aggressive fast bowling from Shoaib Akhtar on the country's quickest pitch.

They were chiefly responsible for Pakistan resuming normal service after their treble blip had endangered their tournament survival.

Six points is enough to take Pakistan through to the last four, and Zimbabwe can still join them if India beat New Zealand at Trent Bridge today.

Should the result go the opposite way, the fate of Zimbabwe and New Zealand will be settled on run rate. Whatever happens, India are out of the competition as they lost to Australia in the opening Super Six match, a pity for Mohammad Azharuddin's men who played so well to beat Pakistan in their high-profile match at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Pakistan lost their previous three matches after a runaway start, and man-of-the-match Anwar immediately went about soothing their nerves.

Ironically, he should have been observing and reflecting on the proceedings from the dressing room at a relatively early stage instead of batting Pakistan towards their imposing total.

On 21 in the eighth over he drove at Mbangwa with the bat away from his body, but Campbell could not hold the quick, regulation chance going to his right at slip.

The miss proved costly as Anwar masterminded the Pakistan innings for another 31 overs, reaching his 16th one-day hundred and the eighth of the tournament.

Once again, Zimbabwe were sustained by Neil Johnson but, as happened after his 132 not out against Australia at Lord's on Wednesday, the left-hander's 54-run effort will not be so personally satisfying as it came in a lost cause.