inspired England beat Pakistan to qualify for semi

The England cricket team became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026 after a two-wicket win over Pakistan in their Super 8 Group 2 match in Kandy on Tuesday.

After Liam Dawson’s three-fer helped world No. 2 England restrict Pakistan to 164/9 in the allotted 20 overs, Harry Brook played a captain’s knock under pressure to inspire his team to victory with a blistering 51-ball 100.

Asked to bowl first at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, England dealt Pakistan two early blows with Jofra Archer dismissing opener Saim Ayub and Liam Dawson sending opposition captain Salman Agha back cheaply.

Pakistan looked to be in a bit of a bind at 27/2 but the in-form Sahibzada Farhan counterattacked in style. He anchored two productive partnerships, first with Babar Azam (25) and then with Fakhar Zaman (25), to take Pakistan past 100.

At 122/3 midway through the 15th over, Pakistan looked poised for a late assault. The match, however, turned with England taking two wickets within a span of six balls.

First, Jamie Overton’s superb yorker caught Sahibzada Farhan LBW, bringing an end to a wonderful knock worth 63 runs off just 45 balls. Adil Rashid then did Farhan in with a wrong’un to sway the momentum in England’s favour.

Losing both set batters in quick succession proved detrimental to Pakistan’s innings as they finished on 164/9. Shadab Khan’s 11-ball 23 was decisive in Pakistan crossing the 150-mark, as the tailenders struggled.

England’s chase got off to the worst start possible as Shaheen Shah Afridi had Phil Salt caught behind off the very first ball.

It was a sign of things to come as the Pakistani pacer picked up two more big wickets - Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell - inside the powerplay to reduce England to 35/3.

Pakistan’s prime spin bowling option, Usman Tariq then got into the game with the wicket of Tom Banton.

However, England skipper Harry Brook ensured that his side stayed on course for the chase and reached his half-century in just 28 balls.

While Pakistan kept picking up wickets at the other end, they found it difficult to contain Brook, who was in a destructive mood on the night and punished any loose or even average tossed his way.

Brook brought about his maiden T20I century in 50 balls to record the fastest T20 World Cup hundred ever scored by an Englishman, surpassing Alex Hales’ 60-ball effort against Sri Lanka in 2014.

It was also the second-fastest T20 World Cup century overall, only after Chris Gayle’s 47-ball ton against England in 2016.

The English captain fell just after reaching the milestone, bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi, but had done enough to see his team through. Despite a slight wobble late on, England’s lower order and Will Jacks (28 off 23) helped the team get the win.

England will face New Zealand in their final Super 8 match on Friday.

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