Exchanging chants and dancing to Caribbean rhythms, supporters of the former World Cup champions flocked to the Kensington Oval in Barbados for a match that less than a month ago looked likely to be a meeting between their teams.

Instead, fans shouted for Bangladesh and Ireland, the lowest-ranked sides left in the competition. Both had made the second round after upset wins over India and Pakistan that helped end the Asian powerhouses’ campaigns.

``This game should have been India-Pakistan,’’ India fan Sarby Mahem, who got the trip as a 40th birthday present from his wife, said in an interview. ``This would have been our World Cup final. We’re upset but we’re loving every minute.’’

Ever since Pakistan split from India in 1947, the enmity between the Asian neighbors has been played out in cricket, the most popular sport in both nations.

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