A look back at the ICC Cricket World Cup group stages

The 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup has already been a memorable one with upsets and some great performances throughout.

This week sees the tournament enter the knockout phases, so we take a look back on the highs and lows of the group stages in Australia and New Zealand. All roads are leading to Melbourne where the final will be held at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 29th, but who will be stepping out on the iconic turf?

Will Australia re-assert their dominance on the tournament? Will New Zealand delight their home fans by winning their first World Cup or will India retain their crown?

Here is our look back on the World Cup group stages.

New Zealand and India storm out of the blocks

New Zealand and India have set the pace at the World Cup with both sides going into the knockout phases unbeaten. The Kiwis topped a difficult Pool A including the likes of Australia, Sri Lanka and England without a blemish on their record. They started in ominous fashion kicking off with a 98-run over Sri Lanka.

From that positive start, they have not looked back and scored a notable thrashing of the hugely disappointing England. Eoin Morgan's men were blown away by New Zealand's and succumbed in just 33.2 overs posting a measly 123 runs, the hosts took just 12.2 overs to reach the target, winning the match by eight wickets.

The most notable scalp of New Zealand's campaign so far has been Australia. Again the bowling of Trent Boult stunned the co-hosts claiming five wickets and the Aussies were all out for 151 in just 32.2 overs. However, it wasn't plain sailing for New Zealand and they were pushed all the way thanks to Aussie bowler Mitchell Starc claiming six wickets. New Zealand held out though to win by a single wicket.

While the Kiwis dominated Pool A, in Pool B it was all about India. The reigning champions arrived at the World Cup with questions over whether they could feasibly retain their title. However, they have answered their critics in stunning fashion.

An opening weekend win over arch rivals Pakistan set the tone for India's campaign. They have breezed through the group, fending off a strong challenge from South Africa. The champions beat South Africa in Melbourne by 130 runs giving them a commanding spot in the group. Routine wins over the United Arab Emirates, West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe have put India in a solid position going into knockouts.

Irish eyes are smiling

The story of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup has undoubtedly been the performance of the Irish team. Placed in a group with the likes of India, South Africa, Pakistan and the West Indies no-one gave the minnows a chance of doing pretty much anything in Australia and New Zealand. They ended the group stage a whisker away from qualifying.

They shocked the cricket world in their first games when they overcame the Windies at the Saxton Oval in Nelson. Chasing 304 for seven, Ireland set about their task with great aplomb. Paul Stirling posted a total of 92 while Ed Joyce and Niall O'Brien scored 84 and 79 respectively. The Irish reached the Windies' total with four wickets to spare kicking off their campaign.

A win over the United Arab Emirates in Brisbane continued Ireland's unbeaten streak. Despite losses to South Africa and India, a win over Zimbabwe kept Irish hopes alive of qualifying for the knockout rounds. They headed into the final games needing a win against Pakistan or a West Indies defeat to progress.

Ultimately they came up short, losing by seven wickets to Pakistan in Adelaide while in Napier, the Windies beat the United Arab Emirates by six wickets. It meant Ireland missed out on Net Run Rate but their voyage will live long in the memory.

The knockouts

The quarter-finals have thrown up some intriguing ties. New Zealand face off against the West Indies, South Africa take on Sri Lanka while Australia will face Pakistan, and India look to carry on their World Cup defence against Bangladesh.