T20 World Cup: Harry Brook leads England into semi-finals with stunning century in win over Pakistan

T20 World Cup, Super 8 Group 2, Pallekele

Pakistan 164-9 (20 overs): Farhan 63 (45); Dawson 3-24

England 166-8 (19.1 overs): Brook 100 (51); Shaheen 4-30

England won by two wickets

Scorecard. Tables

Harry Brook’s sensational century under pressure led England into the T20 World Cup semi-finals with a two-wicket victory over Pakistan in Pallekele.

The England captain promoted himself to number three after Phil Salt was dismissed first ball and made exactly 100 in a chase of 165.

It was the first time Brook had batted first drop in his T20 international career but he played the situation perfectly, going up and down the gears as wickets fell around him.

Jos Buttler failed again – out for three in the third over – while Jacob Bethell fell for eight and Tom Banton two as England slipped to 58-4.

But Brook hit 10 fours and four sixes – once again delivering on his undeniable talents.

He was bowled by Shaheen Afridi a ball after reaching his hundred – the first of his T20 international career – in 50 balls but by then only 10 runs were needed from the last three overs.

Brook’s team-mates still threatened to throw all of his good work away as the wickets of Will Jacks and Jamie Overton followed, leaving it to Jofra Archer to swing away the winning runs with five balls to spare.

It means Brook’s side return to India for a semi-final on either Wednesday or Thursday next week, with their opponents and the venue still to be confirmed by the remainder of the Super 8 stage.

They are there without ever really convincing – here they were sloppy in the field when restricting Pakistan to 164-9 – but are the first team to secure their spot in the last four.

Pakistan must hope other results go their way and win the final Group 2 game against Sri Lanka at this venue on Saturday.

‘Clocked’ by a bouncer in Wellington, as culpable as anyone in the dismal Ashes defeat in Australia, pictured drinking in Noosa and found to have lied when apologising in Sydney.

Brook has had quite the winter.

This, though, was everything good about England’s white-ball captain. He batted at his destructive best.

Surprise greeted the sight of Brook walking down the steps rather than Bethell after Salt nicked off to Shaheen but the thinking was smart.

It kept the right-hander away from Pakistan’s five spinners on a turning pitch at the start of his innings and allowed him to take advantage of the powerplay fielding restrictions.

Brook faced three dots in his first five balls but then took left-armer Salman Mirza for a four and six in the second over.

He muscled a brutal straight six over long-on off while hitting spinner Mohammad Nawaz for 17 in the sixth, before nudging singles after Banton nicked off to Usman Tariq. The mystery spinner was Pakistan’s major threat.

At halfway, Brook kicked on again, crashing leg-spinner Shadab Khan for a perfect straight six. He scored all around the ground but those straight hits and his drives through the covers were particularly eye-catching.

He reached three figures with two more hits over mid-off – one for six and another a one-bounce four.

It made him the third man to score centuries in all three formats for England, after Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan, but more importantly it keeps them on course for a third T20 title.

The win means England qualify before their final Super 8 game against New Zealand on Friday. They can use that match to try and fine tune.

Buttler’s form remains a major worry. One of England’s all-time greats, who has scored 15 runs in his last five innings and got a bottom edge on a cut here, is struggling.

Before that, England’s fielding, which had remained strong through the tight wins against Nepal, Scotland and Italy in the group stage and Sri Lanka on Sunday, faltered.

Bethell let two regulation stops through his hands on the boundary and Brook dropped Shadab on four before he made an important 23. There was also the careless moment of a no-ball for one too many fielders outside the 30-yard circle.

Sahibzada Farhan was Pakistan’s highest scorer with 65 but he and Babar Azam batted too slowly in a partnership of 46 in 44 balls.

Liam Dawson and Jamie Overton did well to restrict Pakistan in the second half of the innings. Left-arm spinner Dawson took three wickets and a fine high catch while Overton bowled Babar and had Farhan lbw, also taking an excellent diving catch of his own.

They ensured Pakistan did not kick on from their platform and, along with Brook, were the other major plusses for England.