Captain Brook's incredible hundred secures England's semi-final qualification

Skipper Harry Brook played a phenomenal innings to single-handedly push his team into the tournament's knockout stage. Batting at number three for the first time in this format, he scored a brilliant 50-ball hundred in Pallekele. This massive two-wicket victory against Pakistan guarantees England a spot in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals with one group match still remaining.

Brook rescues his team from early trouble

Pushed up the batting order by coach Brendon McCullum, the captain faced the music early after returning pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed a wicket on the very first delivery of the chase. Despite losing quick wickets in the powerplay and middle overs—bringing the score down to a worrying 58 for four—the dynamic batter kept counter-attacking. He blasted Afridi for back-to-back boundaries to reach his milestone before being bowled by a perfect yorker on the next ball. Leaving the field to massive applause, his squad only needed ten more runs to win. They made it difficult for themselves by losing late wickets, but Jofra Archer eventually hit the winning boundary during a tense final over.

Pakistan struggles despite Farhan hitting form

While England celebrated their progression, their opponents now face a tough road ahead and must rely on other results. Sahibzada Farhan batted beautifully for his 63, maintaining his status as the leading run-scorer in the tournament. However, his teammates failed to provide enough support. Spinners completely bogged down the middle order, with Liam Dawson putting on an outstanding performance by claiming three crucial wickets for just 24 runs. Ultimately, a total of 164 proved insufficient against a rampant English captain. Catching up on the latest cricket news Odia fans follow, it is clear how heavily reliant the Asian giants are on a single batter.

Winning without playing perfect cricket has become a recurring theme for this English squad. They struggled in the field with dropped catches and costly misfields. Their opening batters, including Jos Buttler, continue to experience poor form. Even so, securing a T20 WC semi-final spot matters most to the dressing room. As Odisha cricket fans and supporters worldwide look forward to the knockouts, this team hopes to finally find their absolute peak form when it truly matters.

Image Source: ESPN / ICC