Kandy: England became the first team to storm into the semifinals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan in a high-pressure Super Eight clash at Pallekele on Tuesday night.
The 2022 champions once again held their nerve in crunch moments to seal qualification, even without delivering a complete performance.
Chasing a modest target of 165, England rode on a sensational captain’s knock from Harry Brook, who smashed a magnificent 100 off just 51 balls. Promoting himself to No. 3 in a bold tactical move, Brook anchored the innings with maturity and aggression, becoming the first captain ever to score a century in a T20 World Cup and the first England captain to register a T20I hundred. The previous highest score was 98, set by Chris Gayle against India in the 2010 edition.
England were rocked early by a fiery spell from Shaheen Afridi, who removed Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Bethell to leave them struggling at 35/3. Usman Tariq further dented the chase as England slipped to 58/4. However, Brook found support in Sam Curran, and their 45-run stand revived the innings.
Despite losing wickets in clusters towards the end, England’s sharp running between the wickets and Brook’s relentless strike rotation kept them in control. With just a few runs needed, the 2022 champions crossed the line with two wickets to spare, though not without late nerves.
Earlier, Pakistan posted 164 for 9 after a mixed start. Sahibzada Farhan struck a composed half-century, while cameos from Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan lifted the total.
For England, Liam Dawson starred with figures of 3/24, while Jofra Archer and Overton chipped in with two wickets each.
After the match, Brook admitted it “got a bit nervy” but was pleased to finish the job. Pakistan captain Salman Agha conceded that his side fell short with the bat and now face a must-win clash against Sri Lanka, while depending on other results to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
England next face New Zealand aiming to carry momentum into the knockout stage, while Pakistan’s campaign hangs by a thread.
Source: ESPN
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