Harry Brook delivered one of the finest knocks of his T20 career, scoring a stunning 100 off just 51 balls to take England into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. England secured a narrow two-wicket win over Pakistan, getting home with five balls to spare.
England failed to get a good start
Chasing 165 on a pitch that was not easy for batting, England found themselves in trouble early. They were reduced to 35 for 3 and then 58 for 4. At that stage, the pressure was firmly on them. Brook, however, took control of the chase and almost singlehandedly guided his side through.
Harry Brook's century
This was Brook’s highest score in T20 internationals and also the highest by an England captain in T20 World Cup history. With this victory, England reached their fifth straight T20 World Cup semi-final and became the first team to qualify for the last four in this edition.
Batting at No. 3 for the first time, Brook showed great awareness and smart shot selection. His innings included 10 fours and four sixes. He was careful against Usman Tariq, who finished with 2 for 31, and stayed composed even when Shaheen Shah Afridi made early breakthroughs. Afridi picked up four wickets, including three in his opening spell.
Brook's ton came with a six and a boundary
Brook brought up his maiden T20I century with a six and a boundary over mid-off. He was eventually bowled while attempting another big shot off Afridi, but by then he had done enough to seal the win for England. Afridi even shared a handshake with him after his dismissal.
One of the highlights of Brook’s innings was how he handled the spinners, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Ahmed. He used his feet well, both forward and back, and ran hard between the wickets, collecting 13 twos by placing the ball into open spaces.
He took 17 runs off one over from Nawaz, including a six and two boundaries. A standout shot was an inside-out drive over cover and point, played with perfect timing and control.
Usman Tariq leaves England at 103 for 5
Tariq removed Tom Banton and later dismissed Sam Curran, leaving England at 103 for 5. But Brook found support from Will Jacks, who scored 28 off 23 balls. The pair added 52 runs in just over five overs, bringing England back into the game.
Once Brook fell, Nawaz dismissed Jacks and Jamie Overton, but Jofra Archer hit a boundary off the first ball of the final over to finish the match.
Earlier, Sahibzada Farhan scored 63 off 45 balls as Pakistan posted 164 for 9. Liam Dawson was the standout bowler for England with 3 for 24 and played a key role in keeping Pakistan below a bigger total.