England entered the semi final of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup after a tense win over Pakistan in Pallekele. Led by a superb hundred from captain Harry Brook, England chased down 165 and sealed qualification with one match left in the Super Eight stage.
Brook promoted himself to number three and scored his first T20I century, making 100 off 51 balls. His knock guided England through a tricky chase, even though they almost stumbled at the end. After Brook was dismissed with just 10 runs needed, England lost three wickets quickly before Jofra Archer hit the winning runs in the final over.
England now needs a win against New Zealand in Colombo to finish on top of the group.
Brook leads from the front
England’s chase started in the worst way when Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Phil Salt with the first ball. Afridi struck three times in the power play, while Usman Tariq removed two more batters in the middle overs. England were 103 for 5 at one stage and under pressure.
Brook stood firm. He attacked both pace and spi, keeping the scoreboard moving. He took 17 runs in one over from Mohammad Nawaz and used his feet well against Shadab Khan. He reached his hundred in 50 balls by hitting Afridi for a six and a four in the same over. He was then bowled by a perfect yorker from Afridi, walking off to a standing ovation.
Brook became the first England captain to score a men’s T20I hundred. None of his teammates crossed 30, which showed how important his innings were.
Farhan fights lone battle for Pakistan
Earlier, Pakistan posted 164 after choosing to bat first. Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 63 and is now the leading run scorer of the tournament. However, he did not get enough support from the rest of the batting lineup.
Liam Dawson was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 24. He slowed the game in the middle overs and also took two wickets in the 18th over. Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer also chipped in at key moments.
Pakistan struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals. Despite a few big hits from Fakhar Zaman, they never looked set for a total above 170.
England is still searching for best form
England have now reached the semi-final of a fifth straight Men’s T20 World Cup. However, they are yet to deliver a complete performance. Their fielding was poor at times, and senior players like Jos Buttler are still out of form.
Even so, they continue to win. With Brook in strong touch and the knockouts ahead, England will hope their best cricket is still to come.
