T20 World Cup: Harry Brook’s scintillating knock dampens Pakistan’s semi-final hopes. England Cement Final Four berth | Cricket News –

TimesofIndia.com in Kandy: Walking out to bat on only the second ball of England’s chase, after Shaheen Shah Afridi had removed Phil Salt first, Harry Brook made a statement before taking to guard. Promoted to number three Instead of being a late finisher, Brook dominated a tough chase at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday and shaped it entirely on his terms.

What followed were captaincy innings at the highest level. Calm under early pressure after Sahin struck three times on the power play, Brook absorbed the heat, counterattacked with stunning clarity, and unleashed a flurry of scintillating strikes without losing control of the chase.

His unbeaten century was not just about power, it was about intent, rhythm and relentless running between the wickets that always kept Pakistan on the defensive.

By standing tall when England briefly looked vulnerable, Brook became the constant barrier between Pakistan and their semi-final hopes. With this two-goal victory, England strengthened its place in the quarter-finals. As for Pakistan, the door is now almost closed.Brook scored 100 runs and not only registered his highest score in T20 cricket but also became the first captain to reach a century in a T20 World Cup.

On a difficult surface, Pakistan could not have asked for a better start. Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled the first ball, finding just enough of an edge for Phil Salt to put an edge back. Moments later, Harry Brook’s decision to promote himself to third was put to the test. Brock started cautiously, working singles and missing a couple on the outside, but he never looked flustered by the early action.

Sahin quickly dealt another powerful blow, knocking out José Butler, whose World Cup continued to be difficult.

Buttler collided with a player wide and curled it inside towards the keeper, leaving England wobbly despite a positive start. Pakistan sensed an opportunity, but Brook had other ideas.With a flick of the wrists, Brook got off the mark with a boundary through square leg and quickly found his rhythm. He judged pace superbly, punishing anything short and using his feet confidently against spin. Pakistan were briefly given hope when Jacob Bethell survived a missed chance from Usman Tariq, but the reprieve was short-lived as Shaheen returned to claim the third wicket, ending Bethell’s scratchy stay.Meanwhile, Brock kept the chase going at a rapid rate. He tore through Muhammad Nawaz for 17 in sweeping, high, muscular boundaries with easy range. At the end of the Powerplay, England were 53 for 3, and were back in control with a bang. Brook brought up a 28-ball fifty, fully justifying his tactical upgrade and confirming his value as an innings shaper rather than a late bloomer.Pakistan’s hopes were briefly dampened when Tariq removed Sam Curran, breaking a 45-run stand, but Brook simply recalibrated.

He absorbed the pressure, ran relentlessly between the wickets, and then exploded again. His attack on Shadab Khan was decisive, highlighted by a clean sweep straight over the fielder’s head into the sight-screen and a boundary to end a 17-run run.

Brook saved his most emphatic statement for Shaheen’s final spell. Reading the slower balls early, he fired one over extra cover for a six and then holed another to bring up his maiden T20I hundred off just 50 balls.

The innings was a masterclass in modern white-ball batting, blending power with intelligence and an elite awareness of the game.Shaheen eventually bowled over Brook, who left to a standing ovation after a knock studded with ten fours and sixes. By then, the damage was beyond repair. Although Nawaz later eliminated Will Jax and Jimmy Overton in quick succession to add some excitement to the chase, Brook’s brilliance had already settled the contest.Earlier, Pakistan’s innings in Kandy unfolded in sharply contrasting halves, with early promise and momentum in the middle undone by a familiar collapse at the back end, leaving them with a pessimistic but competitive 164 for 9 after captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to bat.The tone was set early by Jofra Archer, whose pace and extra movement made the batting an unstable proposition. There was enough saliva to keep Pakistan’s opener tantalizing, and while Saim Ayyub never looked comfortable, the real resistance came from Sahibzada Farhan.

Farhan rode his luck at times, surviving heavy blows and misfires, but he showed the clarity of intent that has defined his World Cup career.Archer caught Ayub with a sharp short ball, while England rotated their bowlers smartly through the Powerplay. Pakistan reached 46 for 2, steady rather than explosive, before Farhan began to take control. He drove straight with authority, pushed confidently against spin, and used the pace of his bowlers to good effect.

His third fifty of the tournament came off just 37 balls, a fluent knock that underlined his growing importance in Pakistan’s batting order.

If Farhan was Pakistan’s backbone, Liam Dawson was England’s quiet throttle. Bowling in all three phases, Dawson varied his pace intelligently, releasing the ball flat and fast when the batsmen appeared to line him up. His figures of four overs, 24 runs and three wickets did not fully reflect his impact.

He dismissed Salman Ali Agha, dismissed Fakhar Zaman when he threatened to bowl, and then surprised Muhammad Nawaz by bowling quickly.

Each strike halted Pakistan’s momentum.The decisive moment in the innings came with the dismissal of Babar Azam. In his attempt to impose himself against the spin, Babar’s attempted shot against Jimmy Overton ended in an ugly foul that signaled the beginning of a slide.

From 122 for 3 after 15.3 overs, Pakistan lost six wickets for 27 runs, and their innings collapsed under pressure.Farhan was dismissed for a well-made 63 off 45 balls. Despite some late hitting from Shadab Khan, the England bowlers, supported by Dawson’s control and Archer’s hostility, kept the damage under control.Summary scores Pakistan: 164 for 9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 63, Fakhar Zaman 25, Liam Dawson 3/24, Jimmy Overton 2/26, Jofra Archer 2/32) England: 166 for 8 in 20 overs (Harry Brook 100, Willjack 28, Shaheen Shah Afridi 4/30, Mohammad Nawaz 2/26, Usman Tariq 2/31)