England stormed into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026 with a commanding chase against Pakistan in their Super 8 clash at Pallekele on Tuesday. A breathtaking century from Harry Brook proved to be the difference as England chased down a competitive target of 165 with courage, sealing a two-wicket victory in 19.1 overs. Brook delivered one of the finest innings of the tournament, smashing 100 off 51 balls, blasting 10 boundaries and four sixes in an audacious knock.
With England losing early wickets in the form of Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, Harry Brook stabilised the chase, dismantling Pakistan’s bowling attack with incredible timing. He got little support from Sam Curran (16) and Will Jacks (28) as England surged past the target, finishing on 166/8 and putting Pakistan’s semi-final chances in trouble.
Earlier, Pakistan, deciding to bat, endured a shaky start after losing early wickets in the powerplay. England’s Jofra Archer applied immediate pressure. However, in-form batter Sahibzada Farhan stood tall amid the early collapse, rebuilding the innings with a positive approach.
Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman contributed 25 runs apiece, giving brief momentum to the innings. But Pakistan struggled to accelerate decisively in the latter half, failing to put up a big total. For England, Liam Dawson remained the standout bowler, claiming three crucial wickets. Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton chipped in with two wickets each.