Spinner Liam Dawson took three wickets as England restricted Pakistan to 164-9 in their Super Eights clash in Kandy after Sahibzada Farhan made 63.
Dawson grabbed 3-24 and was ably supported by Jamie Overton (2-26) and Jofra Archer (2-32) after Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat on a flat pitch.
Opener Farhan continued his good form with a 45-ball 63, with two sixes and sevens fours, his third half-century of the tournament.
Pakistan failed to lift the tempo as England, who will qualify for the semi-final with a win, kept the pressure on with regular wickets.
Archer dismissed Saim Ayub for seven in the third over while Dawson picked up Salman Agha for five in the next.
Farhan and Babar Azam added 46 for the third wicket before Overton bowled Azam for a snail-paced 24-ball 25 in the 11th over.
Farhan completed his fifty off 37 balls before Overton trapped him lbw.
Fakhar Zaman chipped in with a 16-ball 25 with two sixes while Shadab Khan remained unbeaten on 23.
England beat Sri Lanka in their first Super Eights clash while Pakistan’s match against New Zealand was washed out.
