England captain Harry Brook produced the best knock of his T20I career to help his side secure a spot in the semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The 27-year-old scored a hundred off just 51 balls as England chased down the target of 165 set by Pakistan in a crucial Group 2 fixture of the Super Eights.
Brook was under a fair bit of pressure coming into this game as his previous four games weren't great. Having started his World Cup campaign with a half-century against Nepal, Brook was dismissed under 20 in the next four games. The Yorkshire man chose a tough situation to beat his poor form.
England were rocked early in the chase as Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up the wicket of Phil Salt in his first over. Having batted at no.5 up until now, Brook pushed himself up the batting order and walked out to bat at no.3. Afridi looked determined to help Pakistan defend the target as he then removed Jos Buttler. At 17/2, things weren't looking rosy for the 2022 champions.
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From that point on, it was completely one-way traffic as Brook seized control of the contest. He never allowed the Pakistan bowlers to settle, launching a relentless assault that featured 10 fours and four sixes on his way to a sensational maiden T20I century.
Brook's milestone also placed him in elite company, as he became only the third England batter — after Alex Hales and Jos Buttler — to register a century in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. While Harry Brook is the third Englishman and the 14th different batter overall to reach three figures in the tournament, he has also etched his name in history as the first captain to score a T20 World Cup hundred.
England have now qualified for their fifth straight T20 World Cup final and will be buoyed by Brook's form!
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