JOHANNESBURG, Feb 10: Australia vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has played down suggestions that the defending champions’ opening World Cup matches against Pakistan and India could decide their fate in the tournament.

Defeat in those games at the Wanderers on Tuesday and Centurion on Saturday would almost certainly mean Australia would have to win all four of their remaining Group A clashes to qualify for the Super Six stage.

Even if they achieve that, the two losses could still leave them at a disadvantage, as they would only carry four points forward to the next phase of the competition if Pakistan and India also qualify.

“We obviously want to make sure we get the momentum going with us for the whole tournament, so a win against Pakistan is important, but it is not the be-all and end-all,” Gilchrist said on Monday.

“In 1999, we were pretty ordinary in the first three games but still managed to turn it around.

“It’s not a route I would like to take and I would not want to be in that scenario again but, if we are, we will just have to remember how we got ourselves out of trouble then.”

“A win is important but we don’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves match by match.”

Australia made a poor start in 1999, losing to New Zealand and Pakistan in the group phase before going on to clinch the trophy for the second time.

They can draw comfort from victories over Pakistan in the 1999 final and the 2001 triangular series in England, but Gilchrist said those successes will mean nothing when the first ball is bowled on Tuesday.—Reuters