Saturday Feb 28, 2026
Saturday Feb 28, 2026
Wednesday, 25 February 2026 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
In a run chase that swung back and forth before settling into something quite extraordinary, England beat Pakistan by 2 wickets with 5 balls to spare in a T20 World Cup Super-Eights match played at the Pallekele International Stadium yesterday to become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.
Shaheen Afridi lit up the contest, striking with the very first ball as Phil Salt fell for a golden duck. He went on to make further inroads inside the powerplay, removing Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell to leave England wobbling at 35-3. What followed, though, was a master class from the England captain. Harry Brook took control after Tom Banton’s departure, batting with a freedom that never tipped into recklessness. Boundaries flowed regularly, but just as crucial was his ability to keep the scoreboard moving through sharp strike rotation in the middle overs. When Will Jacks arrived after Sam Curran’s dismissal, the tone didn’t change. Their sixth-wicket partnership of 52 off 31 balls was built on relentless pressure. Crisp running, smart placement and timely acceleration were the highlights of that partnership.
In the process, Player of the Match Brook brought up a superb hundred (100 off 51 balls, 10 fours, 4 sixes) in the 17th over, a landmark that showcased the authority of his innings. Afridi returned into the attack to have the final word, dismissing Brook with the last ball of his spell, but by then the damage was done. It was a special knock under pressure, and a defining one too.
Pakistan put up a competitive total of 164-9 after deciding to bat first. Pallekele. Pakistan were pegged back early with the loss of Saim Ayub, but the partnership of 46 off 44 between Farhan and Babar Azam rebuilt the innings and restored stability. Babar chipped in with a handy knock, but Farhan carried on after his partner’s departure, bringing up a well-compiled fifty (63 off 45 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes) to anchor the middle overs.
The tempo lifted once more thanks to Fakhar Zaman, who chipped in with a brisk cameo (25 off 16) and put on 49 off 29 balls with Farhan. Shadab Khan ensured the run rate never dipped, finding the fence often enough to push Pakistan past the 160-run mark. For England, the standout performer was Liam Dawson, whose three-wicket haul restricted the opposition to quite an extent. – [ST]
Scores:
Pakistan 164-9 (20) (Sahibzada Farhan 63, Babar Azam 25, Fakhar Zaman 25, Shadab Khan 23, Jofra Archer 2/32, Jamie Overton 2/26, Liam Dawson 3/24)
England 166-8 (19.1) (Harry Brook 100, Will Jacks 28, Shaheen Afridi 4/30, Mohammad Nawaz 2/26, Usman Tariq 2/31)
