The group stage is over, and we are saying goodbye to Associate involvement for another World Cup, and maybe we are saying goodbye to them forever. Here's a review of their efforts.
Former New Zealand international John Bracewell has been appointed as the new coach of Ireland, with every hope that he can transform the side into something like his native country who are now one of the better teams in the world cricket.
William Porterfield will play his 200th match for Ireland after he was named as captain of a 14-man squad for a one-off ODI match against England on the eighth of May.
The influence of two new balls from both ends, revised fielding restrictions, and T20 have transformed the predominant 50-over strategy, turning the ODI revolution of the 1990s inside-out.
ICC chief N Srinivasan took the opportunity during the World Cup final, while being interviewed in the commentary box, to defend the ICC's plan to reduce the World Cup to 10 teams in 2019.
Phil Simmons may be the coach of the West Indies now, but for eight years he was Ireland's mentor and he has urged the ICC to reconsider reducing the World Cup to 10 teams in 2019, which could see Ireland missing out.
Ireland and the UAE represent two sides of the Associate coin. The Irish have emerged as the best unit outside of the Test playing nations, many of their players fully professional on the English domestic circuit.
Ireland captain William Porterfield has again called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to rethink its decision to reduce the number of teams taking part in the next World Cup, in England in 2019.
More through luck than any sort of searing foresight, the most important game of the World Cup so far was the last one played in the group stage, between Ireland and Pakistan on Sunday.
Pakistan advanced to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, setting up a meeting with Australia, after beating Ireland in Adelaide by seven wickets on Sunday, thanks to a steady unbeaten century from Sarfraz Ahmed.
To break the monotony, here are nine Unusual Suspects to keep an eye on over the next six weeks, most of whom are making their World Cup debuts. Young, talented, capable of winning a game for their nations.
It's not often knock-out places are still up for grabs by the time the final group game rolls around, but that is the case here as both Pakistan and Ireland are still in the running for the quarter-finals.
Ireland batsman Alex Balbirnie says his team would like to stir up memories of 2007 when they take on Pakistan in their final World Cup Pool match in Adelaide on Sunday.
Ireland spinner Andy McBrine says his team have to put the big defeat against India behind them and they are confident of coming out on top when they tackle Pakistan in their crucial World Cup Pool B encounter on Sunday.
Ireland captain William Porterfield believes India showed his side how to be ruthless in crunch situations, when the two teams clashed in a World Cup Pool B encounter in Hamilton on Tuesday.
Ireland's bowlers did a superb job against Bangladesh in their World Cup warm up match on Thursday, preventing a big score to allow the batsmen to secure a win by four wickets.
India go into their game against Ireland at Seddon Park in Hamilton with their quarter-final place already secured, while the Irish must win to keep their hopes of progression realistically alive.
Ireland captain William Porterfield says they're going into their group match against India on Tuesday with it all on the line, and feels they have prepared as much, and as professionally, as they can.
In the science fiction television series, Star Trek, set in the 24th century, baseball is an obscure sport that nobody plays or watches any more. On current trends, this will be the fate of cricket by the middle of this century.
Ireland captain William Porterfield has heaped praise on Alex Cusack after the seam bowler took two wickets in the final over to see his side to a nail-biting win over Zimbabwe at the World Cup in Hobart on Saturday.
A century from senior batsman Ed Joyce and two wickets in the final over by seam bowler Alex Cusack ensured Ireland came out on top, by five runs, in a tense World Cup Pool B encounter against Zimbabwe in Hobart on Saturday.
The first World Cup game in Hobart will see an important clash, as both sides need to win to keep their quarter-final hopes on track, though Ireland are in a better position with a game in hand.
