Kandy (Sri Lanka), Feb 24 (IANS) Two-time former champions England became the first team to reach the semifinals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after captain Harry Brook scored a historic century, beating Pakistan by two wickets in a Super 8 stage match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday.

Brook made history by becoming the first captain to score a hundred in a men’s T20 World Cup match. His impressive 100 off 51 balls included 10 fours and four sixes, helping England chase down Pakistan’s total of 164 for 9 with little time to spare.

He reached the 50-ball milestone with a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi. Brook is only the third England batter to achieve a T20 World Cup century, following Alex Hales and Jos Buttler. Additionally, this was the first century by an England captain in men’s T20Is, breaking the previous highest score by a skipper in a T20 World Cup, which was 98 by Chris Gayle in 2010.

While chasing 165, England struggled at times, but Brook counterattacked to take charge. Sam Curran (16) and Will Jacks (28) provided valuable support, but it was the captain who led the way, overpowering Pakistan’s bowlers with bold shots.

Earlier, Liam Dawson starred with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 24 runs to limit Pakistan despite a flat batting pitch. Jamie Overton (2 for 26) and Jofra Archer (2 for 32) also contributed significantly after Pakistan chose to bat. Sahibzada Farhan was the top scorer with a solid 63 off 45 balls, partnering with Babar Azam (25) for a 46-run stand. However, they lost wickets regularly, which stopped Pakistan from fully capitalising. Fakhar Zaman added 25 off 16, while Shadab Khan finished not out on 23.

Having defeated Sri Lanka in their first Super Eight match and with Pakistan’s game against New Zealand being washed out, England’s latest victory ensured they became the first team to secure a spot in the last four of the 2026 tournament.

–IANS

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