Harry Brook carried England into the T20 World Cup semi-finals, delivering a captain’s innings of the highest order in a nervy two-wicket win over Pakistan in Pallekele.
Batting at No 3 for the first time in T20 internationals, Brook’s swashbuckling 100 off 51 balls, with four sixes and 10 fours, helped England negotiate a pursuit of 165 on a spinning pitch.
The 27-year-old was dismissed the delivery after reaching a 50-ball hundred, with nine runs still needed, and despite then losing Will Jacks and Jamie Overton, England’s win was sealed by Jofra Archer with five balls to spare.
While Jos Buttler’s struggles continued as England slipped to 58 for four, Brook was masterful and his highest T20 international score secured a second victory in the Super 8s, guaranteeing their spot in the knockout stages with a match to spare.
Liam Dawson had earlier taken three for 24, with Archer and Overton claiming a couple of wickets each, to restrict Pakistan to 164 for nine, with Sahibzada Farhan making 63, before Shaheen Shah Afridi gave England a fright with three powerplay wickets.
But Brook, who revealed afterwards he promoted himself two places at the urging of head coach Brendon McCullum, broke the back of the chase, with Will Jacks (28) the only other batter to reach 20, as England secured a fifth win at this venue in the last month.
“I’m very happy with the way we played there,” Brook said. “It’s nice to get through to the semis.
“[The promotion to three] was all Baz [McCullum]. He came to me this morning and said, ‘We might change it up.’ We’ve spoken about adapting and changing all sorts throughout this competition and having the bravery to do that today was awesome.
“I haven’t done it much, but it is nice to get out there and face as many balls as possible. Pakistan are always good, they have some world-class players in there, and it’s just nice to get over the line.”
England’s chase got off to the worst possible start when Phil Salt nicked the first ball off the dangerous Afridi, with the out-of-form Buttler following in identical fashion in the paceman’s next over for his fourth successive single-figure score, taking his tournament average to 10.33.
While he lost Jacob Bethell as Afridi struck for a third time, Brook was taking full advantage of his elevation, clipping left-arm quick Salman Mirza for four then hammering him straight for six.
When left-arm spin, Brook’s kryptonite with three dismissals in the tournament, was introduced, the Yorkshireman was equal to it as he took 17 off Mohammad Nawaz, hitting him out of the attack. At the end of the powerplay, Brook had 41 of England’s 53 runs.
Usman Tariq – who spilled a howler to reprieve Bethell, which cost just two runs – struck first ball when Tom Banton edged behind before Sam Curran miscued the mystery spinner to Nawaz in the deep after putting on 45 with Brook.
At 103 for five, Brook consolidated alongside Jacks but hit out in Afridi’s final over, hammering him for six-four to move to three figures, joining Buttler and Dawid Malan as the only England men’s cricketers to register a century in all three formats.
Afridi finished with four for 30 with a slower ball yorker, which breached Brook’s defences, ending a 52-run stand with Jacks, who was dismissed alongside Overton in the penultimate over by Nawaz.
Archer, though, creamed Mirza for four through midwicket to get England over the line.
It was Archer’s pace that helped England make the breakthrough after they lost the toss, with Saim Ayub toe-ending to Bethell, while Salman Agha clothed Dawson to Overton, who took a fine catch diving forward on the boundary.
A stodgy 46-run stand in 44 balls followed, largely down to the watchful Babar Azam, the former world No 1-ranked T20 batter whose steady strike-rates have been criticised.
When he missed a heave across the line and Overton hit the top of off stump, it actually benefited Pakistan.
Farhan, the tournament’s top scorer who held Pakistan’s innings together, and Fakhar Zaman upped the ante, each taking sixes off Jacks, England’s match-winner against Sri Lanka, who leaked 27 off two overs.
When Farhan went six-four off Overton, it seemed Pakistan were on the charge, but he shuffled too far across his crease and was lbw to a yorker from England’s strapping fast bowler.
It was the start of Pakistan losing five wickets in 19 legitimate balls, with Dawson taking two in two, although Shadab, dropped by Brook on four, made sure they got to a competitive total.
PA
Shimron Hetmyer blasts West Indies to big win over Zimbabwe at T20 World Cup
T20 World Cup: England v Pakistan prediction and best bets
Liam Dawson says mystery spinner Usman Tariq not only Pakistan threat to England
England drawn to face Scotland and Ireland at home Women’s T20 World Cup
Pakistan star reacts to potential Hundred exclusion amid rising tensions with India
Harry Brook hails Jacks of all trades as Will inspires England win
