Pallekele witnessed cricketing drama as England captain Harry Brook scripted a historic masterpiece, slamming the first-ever T20 World Cup century by a captain to guide his team past Pakistan by 2 wickets and into the 2026 semi-finals.
Brook’s entry at No. 3 came after an explosive start saw Salt out first ball. Undeterred, he crafted a career-defining 100 off 51 balls, laced with 10 boundaries and 4 maximums. At 196 strike rate, he eclipsed Chris Gayle’s 98-run captaincy best from 2010, redefining T20 leadership benchmarks.
Holding fort amid collapses, Brook’s partnerships proved pivotal: 45 runs with Curran for the 5th wicket and a fifty-stand with Jacks. His composure turned the tide in a nail-biting chase.
Pakistan’s innings revolved around Farhan’s 63, featuring aggressive 7 fours and 2 sixes, but support was scarce. Babar (25 off 24), Fakhar (25 off 16), and Shadab (23 off 11) couldn’t build momentum, folding at 164/9.
Dawson’s 4-over spell yielded 3/24, while Archer and Overton grabbed 2 each. Brook’s triumph highlights England’s resilience, blending fiery pace with calculated captaincy, as they march towards glory.
