ENGLAND captain Harry Brook scored a century to guide his side into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals with a two-wicket win over Pakistan in their Super Eight match on Tuesday.
Brook’s innings came after Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi (4-30) reduced England to 35-3 while they were chasing 165.
The skipper recorded his highest T20 international score, reaching 100 in 50 balls with 10 fours and four sixes. England lost wickets late in the chase but crossed the line with five balls remaining.
England lost a wicket off the first ball of the innings when wicketkeeper Usman Khan caught Phil Salt off Afridi. Afridi also dismissed Jos Buttler.
Jacob Bethell became Afridi’s third wicket when he was caught in the deep. Usman Tariq then dismissed Tom Banton with his first ball after an earlier dropped catch, with the keeper taking his third catch of the innings.
Brook continued to score even as England slipped to 103-5 and kept losing partners. Afridi returned for his final over and took Brook’s wicket with the last ball of the over.
Afridi was the first to shake Brook’s hand as he walked back to the pavilion. England still needed 10 runs to win before Mohammad Nawaz picked up two wickets in the penultimate over.
Jofra Archer hit a boundary to seal the win as England completed the chase with five balls to spare.
Earlier, Pakistan chose to bat after winning the toss but were reduced to 27-2 in the powerplay due to sharp catching.
Saim Ayub was caught at deep backward square leg off a short delivery from Archer. Liam Dawson dismissed captain Salman Agha after Jamie Overton took a diving catch.
Babar Azam (25) hit Archer for consecutive boundaries before Overton bowled him to leave Pakistan at 73-3 after 11 overs.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan scored 63 off 45 balls with seven fours and two sixes. He reached his half-century before being trapped lbw by Overton.
Fakhar Zaman made 25 and Shadab Khan (23) added runs with the lower order as Pakistan posted a total that fell short.
