T20 World Cup: Harry Brook’s maiden hundred seals semis spot for England as Pakistan on brink of elimination
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "T20 World Cup: Harry Brook’s maiden hundred seals semis spot for England as Pakistan on brink of elimination")
T20 World Cup Harry Brook’s maiden hundred seals semis spot for England as Pakistan on brink of elimination Photograph: (Others)
For the fifth straight time, since the 2016 T20 World Cup edition, England has sealed a semifinal spot, becoming the first team to do so.
England became the first team to qualify for the semifinal of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 after narrowly beating Pakistan by two wickets in their second Super 8 match in Pallekele. Captain Harry Brook starred for the former two-time winners, smashing his maiden T20 WC hundred, which came at the perfect time for his team. This win, however, has put Pakistan on the brink of elimination as they sit at just one point after two games. Chasing 165, Brook walked in early at number three and played perhaps the best hundred in this competition's history.
Brook promoted himself at three for the first time and rocked Pakistan with his record-breaking hundred. While it was his maiden ton in this format, he also became the first captain to hit a T20 World Cup hundred, and the fourth-ever batter to do so in a run chase in this tournament. Considering his bat flow, the timing and shot placement, Brook stunned the cricket world, with even his naysayers applauding him for his one-of-a-kind innings.
Meanwhile, Pakistan batted first after winning the toss and lost two quick wickets inside the Powerplay, including that of captain Salman Ali Agha. The man-in-form, Sahibzada Farhan, again slammed a crucial fifty (63), and handy contributions from the middle order, including 25 each from Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, and a late blitz from Shadab Khan, helped Pakistan post a fighting total (164/9).
The returnee Shaheen Afridi picked the prize wicket of Phil Salt on a first-ball duck, before accounting for under-fire Jos Buttler and rookie Jacob Bethell inside the first six overs. In between, Brook walked in at number three and changed the game’s equation right away.
Oozing with confidence, Brook played perhaps the most beautiful hundred in the tournament’s history, let alone in this edition, despite losing wickets regularly at the other end. At one point, after England was five down for 103, Brook and Will Jacks looked convincing to get the job done; however, a strange passage of quick wickets derailed the outcome, but couldn’t prevent it.
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England reached their fifth consecutive T20 World Cup semifinal, all since the 2016 edition, and Brook was pleased with the result.
“We've come here to do that job, and we got it done, Brook said of England qualifying for the T20 World Cup semis.
Crediting head coach Brendon McCullum for this masterstroke (On his move to No. 3), Brook said, “Baz the mastermind behind it. He came up in the morning and spoke with me. We wanted to try and maximise the Powerplay a little more. They know I like to take the game on. Thankfully, it came off, and we got a decent start,” the English captain reflected on his performance.
Meanwhile, England take on New Zealand in their final Super 8 game, while Pakistan face Sri Lanka in theirs. The Men in Green, however, require a few results to fall in their favour, including beating the tournament’s co-hosts, to seal an improbable semis spot.
