Harry Brook's Blistering Century Powers England to Thrilling 2-Wicket Victory Over Pakistan
In a high-stakes Super 8 encounter of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, England edged out Pakistan by 2 wickets in a nail-biting finish at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Captain Harry Brook delivered a masterclass with an unbeaten 100 off just 51 deliveries (10 fours, 4 sixes), steering his side to a target of 165 with 5 balls remaining and propelling England as the first team to book their place in the semifinals.
Pakistan, after winning the toss and electing to bat, posted a competitive 164/9 in their 20 overs. Opener Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with a brisk 63 off 45 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes), providing a solid foundation. Contributions from Babar Azam (25), Fakhar Zaman (25), and a quickfire 23 off 11 by Shadab Khan helped the total. However, England's spinners, led by Liam Dawson's economical 3/24, kept the scoring in check, while Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer picked up 2 wickets each.
In reply, England suffered early jolts as Shaheen Afridi struck twice in the powerplay, dismissing Phil Salt (0) and Jos Buttler (2) to leave the chase in trouble. Jacob Bethell (8) and Tom Banton (2) also fell cheaply, but Brook anchored the innings with composure and aggression. He forged key partnerships, including 52 with Sam Curran (16) and 45 with Will Jacks (28), before accelerating in the death overs.
Despite Afridi's impressive 4/30 and Usman Tariq's 2 wickets, Brook's explosive knock – including a 50-ball century – proved decisive. He fell immediately after reaching the milestone, bowled by Afridi, but tailenders Liam Dawson (1*) and Jofra Archer (5*) finished the job with a boundary in the 19.1 over.
This victory strengthens England's position in Super 8 Group 2 and marks a significant step toward defending their potential title aspirations. Pakistan, meanwhile, face an uphill task to keep their semifinal hopes alive after the narrow defeat.Player of the Match: Harry Brook (England) for his match-winning 100*.
Pakistan, after winning the toss and electing to bat, posted a competitive 164/9 in their 20 overs. Opener Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with a brisk 63 off 45 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes), providing a solid foundation. Contributions from Babar Azam (25), Fakhar Zaman (25), and a quickfire 23 off 11 by Shadab Khan helped the total. However, England's spinners, led by Liam Dawson's economical 3/24, kept the scoring in check, while Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer picked up 2 wickets each.
In reply, England suffered early jolts as Shaheen Afridi struck twice in the powerplay, dismissing Phil Salt (0) and Jos Buttler (2) to leave the chase in trouble. Jacob Bethell (8) and Tom Banton (2) also fell cheaply, but Brook anchored the innings with composure and aggression. He forged key partnerships, including 52 with Sam Curran (16) and 45 with Will Jacks (28), before accelerating in the death overs.
Despite Afridi's impressive 4/30 and Usman Tariq's 2 wickets, Brook's explosive knock – including a 50-ball century – proved decisive. He fell immediately after reaching the milestone, bowled by Afridi, but tailenders Liam Dawson (1*) and Jofra Archer (5*) finished the job with a boundary in the 19.1 over.
This victory strengthens England's position in Super 8 Group 2 and marks a significant step toward defending their potential title aspirations. Pakistan, meanwhile, face an uphill task to keep their semifinal hopes alive after the narrow defeat.Player of the Match: Harry Brook (England) for his match-winning 100*.