Brook’s 100 seals England’s semi-final spot in tense thriller against Pakistan

England are through to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup after a tense two-wicket victory over Pakistan in their Super Eight clash at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Led by a sublime century from captain Harry Brook, England chased down 165 in 19.1 overs on Tuesday to become the first team to book a place in the last four. The win takes them to four points from two matches, while Pakistan remain stranded on one and on the brink of elimination.

Early collapse rocks England

The chase began in disastrous fashion. Shaheen Shah Afridi struck with the very first ball, removing Phil Salt with a sharp catch behind by Usman Khan. Afridi then dismissed former captain Jos Buttler in his next over to leave England rattled.

Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton soon followed as Pakistan tightened their grip. At one stage, England’s chase looked in serious trouble against what appeared a competitive 164-9.

Brook stands tall under pressure

That was when Brook took control. Mixing composure with controlled aggression, he rebuilt the innings with a crucial 52-run stand alongside all-rounder Will Jacks, who chipped in with 28 valuable runs.

Brook brought up a magnificent century under pressure, steering England close to the target. But just when victory seemed assured, his dismissal triggered a late wobble that gave Pakistan renewed hope.

The tension was finally broken when Jofra Archer smashed a boundary off the first ball of the final over to seal the win and spark celebrations in the England camp.

Pakistan’s fight not enough

Earlier, opener Sahibzada Farhan laid the foundation with a fluent 63 off 45 balls. Babar Azam contributed 25, while Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan added 25 and 23, respectively, to push Pakistan past 160 in a must-win contest.

England’s bowlers shared the workload effectively. Spinner Liam Dawson returned impressive figures of 3-24, while Archer and Jamie Overton claimed two wickets apiece.

What’s next

England will face the New Zealand national cricket team in their final Super Eight fixture on Friday. Pakistan, meanwhile, must beat the Sri Lanka national cricket team and rely on other results, including a significant dent to New Zealand’s net run rate, to keep their campaign alive.

For now, though, the spotlight belongs to Brook, whose captain’s knock has carried England into the semi-finals and left Pakistan staring at the exit door.