Brook century powers England to T20 world cup semi-final

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Feb 24, 2026

Captain Harry Brook scored a brilliant century as England defeated Pakistan by two wickets to become the first team to reach the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

In the Super 8 match played in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, England secured their semi-final spot with one game still remaining.

Chasing a target of 165 runs, England reached 166 for 8 with five balls to spare. Brook starred with 100 runs off 51 balls, hitting 10 fours and four sixes.

Will Jacks contributed 28 runs, while Sam Curran added 16. The match became tense after Brook’s dismissal as England kept losing wickets. However, in the final over, Jofra Archer sealed the victory with a boundary off the first ball.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi took four wickets, while Usman Tariq claimed two, but their efforts were not enough.

Earlier, after winning the toss and batting first, Pakistan scored 164 for 9 in 20 overs. Opener Shahibzada Farhan was the top scorer with 63 runs off 45 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.

Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman scored 25 runs each.

For England, Liam Dawson took three wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Archer and Jamie Overton picked up two wickets each, while Adil Rashid claimed one.

England, placed in Super 8 Group 2, had earlier defeated Sri Lanka. With two wins from two matches, they now have four points and have confirmed their semi-final berth.

Following the defeat, Pakistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals are almost over. They must defeat Sri Lanka and depend on other results to stay in contention.