England staged an incredible chase to beat Pakistan by two wickets in the 45th match of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights (Group 2) at Kandy on February 24, 2026, owing to an incredible century by Harry Brook.
Batting first, the Pakistan cricket team began with a solid start despite losing early wickets in the powerplay. Pakistan scored 46/2 in the first six overs, with Sahibzada Farhan holding the key to the innings and brief contributions by Babar Azam. Farhan played a prudent innings, scoring his first fifty in 37 deliveries, but the Pakistan team struggled to get the momentum going in the middle overs. Frequent wickets and successful reviews by England made it difficult for them to get the momentum going, with the crucial wicket of Farhan in the 16th over. Pakistan suffered from late breakthroughs, and they could manage a competitive but slightly below-par total of 164/9 in their 20 overs on a batting-friendly wicket.
In reaction, the England cricket team began aggressively but lost three wickets within the powerplay. Harry Brook was unshaken in the face of the early turmoil, counter-attacking the Pakistan bowlers with confidence and accuracy. He scored his fifty in just 28 balls and continued to dominate the scoring as wickets tumbled on the other side. England reached 100 in 11.1 overs, thanks to the brilliance of Harry Brook.
Harry Brook’s innings reached its peak as he scored a magnificent century in 50 balls, hitting ten fours and four sixes. Although England lost wickets towards the end and the pressure was on, Harry Brook’s innings ensured that England was right on track. England finally chased down the target in 19.1 overs, ending at 166/8 with five balls to spare, despite a slow over-rate penalty in the final overs.
The win further boosted England’s chances in Group 2, while Pakistan could only regret their losses. Harry Brook was awarded the Player of the Match award for his match-winning 100 off 51 balls, one of the best innings of the tournament so far.