Pakistan Vs England: Harry Brook's maiden T20 century seals nervy Super 8s win at Pallekele
The Super 8s clash under the lights at Pallekele produced a dramatic finish in Pakistan Vs England as England chased 165 and won by two wickets with five balls to spare, a result that secures their place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals. England captain Harry Brook produced a sublime maiden T20 international century off 50 balls before falling the next delivery, with the match punctuated by moments of sportsmanship and a series of wider storylines that now shift focus to the last Group 2 fixtures and the knockout stage.
Pakistan Vs England — match context and key moments
The game, played in the T20 World Cup Super 8s, Group 2 at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium, finished with Pakistan posted at 164-9 (20 overs). Farhan made 63 off 45 balls and Dawson returned figures of 3-24. England chased 165 to win, getting over the line with two wickets in hand and five balls remaining. Brook’s 50-ball hundred was the defining innings; he was dismissed on the very next delivery but England managed to survive a nervy finish to claim the two points that put them into the semi-finals.
Harry Brook: century, captaincy and recent turbulence
Brook’s century was his maiden T20 international hundred and arrived in his first outing at No. 3 in international T20 cricket, a promotion suggested that morning by head coach Brendon McCullum and communicated in the pre-match huddle. Brook described the personal significance of the innings, saying it was nice to be in the semi-finals and that it felt like a reward for hard work. He also reflected that the preceding months had been “probably the hardest of my life, ” a period that included a disappointing Ashes in which he scored just two half-centuries and averaged 39. 77 — his second-worst Test-series average in a series where he played more than a single innings — and the revelation of a drunken altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington on the eve of the final fixture of his first overseas tour as an international captain, a controversy that has dogged him since.
Performance details and figures
Brook’s shift to No. 3 was described as an attempt to maximise the powerplay and allow him to take the game on from ball one; he suggested the move could be discussed further with the coach but that longer innings at that position would suit him. His record versus Pakistan featured in the post-match narrative: he now averages 62. 66 in 10 T20 innings against Pakistan and 84. 1 in 10 Test knocks against the same opposition, and in both formats this match produced his highest score.
Bowling highlights, sportsmanship and reactions
Shaheen Shah Afridi took four wickets in the match, including Brook’s dismissal with his final ball, and later showed a notable act of sportsmanship toward Brook in acknowledgement of the innings. Shaheen, who four years earlier had played and won a T20 alongside Brook for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League, praised Brook’s progress and captaincy in the aftermath. Post-match reaction and analysis have been extensive, with commentators and analysts filing verdicts and clips of key moments; one named analyst highlighted the performance and readers are invited to review post-match reaction including Matthew Henry’s verdict.
What the result means and what comes next
England’s win sends them into the semi-finals. Pakistan, finishing on 164-9 in this game, must hope other results go in their favour and must beat Sri Lanka in their final Group 2 game to keep qualification hopes alive. England’s immediate fixtures include a meeting with New Zealand in Colombo on Friday at 1. 30pm UK before they turn full attention to the semi-finals. Separately, the tournament schedule continues the next day with New Zealand facing co-hosts Sri Lanka in the Super 8s; live coverage is scheduled to begin at 13: 15 GMT with pre-broadcast activity at 13: 00. Readers should note that schedules are subject to change.
Forward look
England will seek to build on Brook’s match-winning century and the momentum of qualification as they prepare for New Zealand in Colombo and the knockout phase. Pakistan will need a win over Sri Lanka and favourable other results to progress. The match at Pallekele will be remembered for Brook’s maiden T20 hundred, the narrow margin of victory and the sportsmanship displayed in the middle, elements that set the tone for an intriguing run into the semi-finals.
