Dubai: South Africa downed Sri Lanka by four wickets to qualify for the quarter-finals of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Cricket World Cup at Peter Burge Oval in Brisbane, Australia on Wednesday.
South Africa bowler Corne Dry (4 for 16) helped bowl out Sri Lanka for 150 in 37.4 overs. In reply, captain Chad Bowes (46) and Theunis de Bruyn (42) put on 80 for the third wicket to ensure South Africa coasted to victory in 33 overs.
It was South Africa’s third successive victory and their last-eight opponents will be confirmed after Thursday’s match between England and Nepal.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan scored a 10-run win over Scotland on the Sunshine Coast.
Their captain Javed Ahmadi hit 71 off 76 balls to help them post an impressive total of 191. Afghanistan wicket-keeper Afsar Khan chipped in with 44 after his side were struggling at 132 for 7. Scotland paceman Gavin Main finished with four for 26 from eight overs, while fellow seamer Ruaidhri Smith took four for 45 from his 10 overs.
For Scotland, opener Ross Maclean hit 67, but Afghanistan’s pace duo of Syed Shirzad (3 for 33) and Aftab Alam (2 for 45) put the brakes on the reply.
Thursday is the final day of first round matches and the winner of the New Zealand-Pakistan match will top Group B.
Both sides have already qualified for the quarter-finals but a win for Pakistan could possibly result in a clash against rivals India on Monday [August 20].
In another match yesterday, Ireland defeated Nepal by 14 runs through George Dockrell’s deadly four-wicket spell. The spinner bowled out Nepal for 171 chasing Ireland’s total of 185 for 8.