Pakistan rode on a fine all-round performance by Hasan Mohsin to defeat Sri lanka by 23 runs in the final league match and top Group B in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup here on Wednesday.
Mohsin top-scored with 86 and then rattled Sri lanka with two early wickets as Pakistan fought back after being dismissed for 212 to bowl their rivals out for 189. Pakistan will take on the West Indies in the fourth quarter-final in Fatullah on February 8.
Sri lanka, which finished second in the group, will clash with England on February 7 in Mirpur.
Pakistan’s total was built around Mohsin’s attractive run-a-ball innings, which was studded with eight hits to the fence and a six.
Pakistan were struggling at 96 for four after being sent in to bat on a hazy morning but Mohsin stepped in to stem the rot with a 61-run stand for the fifth wicket with Salman Fayyaz (33).
Mohsin, who was on 61 at the fall of the seventh wicket, smashed 23 runs in the 47th over bowled by seamer Asitha Fernando, which included five runs for an overthrow.
Moshin was bowled in the next over, trying to reverse sweep left-arm spinner Damitha Silva, who finished with two wickets for 41 runs.
Mendis gave away 21 runs in four wicketless overs. Mohsin, who was later named man of the match, stung early in Sri lanka’s reply, grabbing the first two wickets by the sixth over with his medium-pace bowling.
Brief Scores
Pakistan: 212 (Mohsin 86, Fayyaz 33; Damitha Silva 2/41) beat Sri lanka: 189 (Mendis 68, Randika 46; Khan 3/31)