Pakistan could leapfrog England and move into the top four of the 2019 Cricket World Cup standings if they hand Afghanistan an eighth successive defeat, a day after Sri Lanka’s own hopes of reaching the top four were dented after a nine-wicket hammering by South Africa at Chester-le-Street.
Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals, a number of their batsmen bogged down on a slow pitch as they posted 203 all out after 49.3 overs.
The paltry target provided few problems for Hashim Amla (80 not out) and Faf Du Plessis (96no) in a 175-run partnership which carried the Proteas, already eliminated from contention for the knockout stages, to a thumping nine-wicket win with 12.4 overs to spare.
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