England captain Harry Brook delivered a masterclass in destructive batting to propel his team into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, dismantling Pakistan in a thrilling encounter at Pallekele on Tuesday evening.
After winning the toss, Pakistan elected to bat first and managed a modest total of 164/6 in their allotted 20 overs, relying largely on opener Sahibzada Farhan, who struck a composed 63 off 45 balls. He was well-supported by Fakhar Zaman (25), Babar Azam (25), and Shadab Khan (23), yet Pakistan could not build the partnerships required to set a formidable target.
Chasing a challenging total, England stumbled early, losing three wickets for just 35 runs during the powerplay, including the dismissals of Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, and Jacob Bethell. The situation looked precarious until Brook walked to the crease at number three—a position he had never occupied before in international T20 cricket—and immediately assumed responsibility.
Brook’s innings was nothing short of historic. He reached his fifty in just 27 balls and completed a stunning century in 51 balls, becoming the first captain in T20 World Cup history to score a century. The previous record for a captain was 98, held by Chris Gayle. Brook’s century also ranks as the second fastest in T20 World Cup history, behind Gayle’s 47-ball effort against England in 2016.
Despite being dismissed for 100 off 51 balls by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Brook’s innings had already put England in command. Only Will Jacks (28 off 23) and Sam Curran (16 off 15) contributed with the bat, while all other England batters failed to reach double figures.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi took 4/30, claiming his first four-wicket haul in 40 T20 internationals, and Usman Tariq grabbed 2/31, but the target proved beyond reach. Mohammad Nawaz took two wickets in the 19th over, but by then England were already on the verge of victory.
England secured a 2-wicket win with 5 balls to spare, sealing their place in the semi-finals with two wins from two matches in the Super 8s. Conversely, Pakistan now faces a must-win situation in their final game, with other results also likely to influence their fate. This triumph ensures England have reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the fifth consecutive tournament, the most by any team in history.
Brook’s century also marked a personal milestone—he became the third England cricketer to score centuries in all three formats, joining Jos Buttler and David Malan, and the third English batsman to score a T20 World Cup century, after Buttler and Alex Hales.
Key Performances: England vs Pakistan, Pallekele
| Team | Player | Runs | Balls | Wickets | Overs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | Sahibzada Farhan | 63 | 45 | – | – |
| Pakistan | Fakhar Zaman | 25 | 16 | – | – |
| Pakistan | Babar Azam | 25 | 24 | – | – |
| Pakistan | Shadab Khan | 23 | 11 | – | – |
| Pakistan | Shaheen Afridi | – | – | 4 | 4 |
| Pakistan | Usman Tariq | – | – | 2 | 4 |
| England | Harry Brook | 100 | 51 | – | – |
| England | Will Jacks | 28 | 23 | – | – |
| England | Sam Curran | 16 | 15 | – | – |
| England | Liam Dawson | – | – | 3 | 4 |
| England | Jofra Archer | – | – | 2 | 4 |
| England | Jamie Overton | – | – | 2 | 4 |
This dominant display reinforces England’s supremacy over Pakistan in T20 World Cups, having won all four matches against them in this edition, and six of the last six encounters overall.