England vs Pakistan LIVE, T20 World Cup 2026: Brook's ton helps England qualify for semifinals; ENG 166/8 vs PAK

England beats Pakistan by two wickets in its Super Eight clash on Tuesday to advance to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals

Mizra to Archer - it is a four and England qualifies to semis

Mohammad Nawaz to Will Jacks, removes the batter as Jacks swings hard and misses. England needs just four runs, but Jamie Overton walks down the track and the keeper Usman Khan takes the bails off.

Will Jacks b Mohammad Nawaz 28 (23b 1x4 2x6)

Jamie Overton st †Usman Khan b Mohammad Nawaz 0 (3b 0x4 0x6)

47 - Chris Gayle vs ENG, Wankhede, 2016

50 - Chris Gayle vs SA, Joburg, 2007

50 - Harry Brook vs PAK, Pallekele, 2026*

Overton is the new batter. six runs needs from 17 balls. Three dot balls from that Mirza over.

Will Jacks and Harry Brook seem to be getting comfortable in the middle. Jacks hits a four to fine leg off Shaheen Afridi. Brook is almost there, then hits a six over deep extra cover off the fourth ball, and a four off the next delivery brings up his century.

The skipper falls off the final ball of the over, but has the damage already been done? England needs 10 runs to make it to the semifinal.

As mentioned earlier, Harry Brook and Will Jacks have been putting in the hard work running between the wickets. Brook works it to long-off for a single.

Usman Tariq to Jacks, he stays back at the crease and opens up, smashing it over deep square leg for a six.

Brook then hits a four towards third man to end the over.

Harry Brook and Will Jacks have been doing a good job of keeping the scoreboard ticking with their running between the wickets, but England needs boundaries if it is to stay in the contest.

7 runs from that Nawaz over

England needs 48 runs in 6 overs with 5 wickets in hand

Usman Tariq keeps it tight, almost no risks from the batters as they stay on the back foot and punch singles and doubles to keep the scoreboard ticking

Pakistan’s field setup on the off side is spot on, not allowing England’s batters room to open up. Will Jacks joins the chase and hits a six off Mirza over extra cover off his third ball.

Except for that six, otherwise a good over, just six runs off it.

Sam Curran seems to have understood the task and is providing good support as Harry Brook looks to take the fight to Pakistan. Just as it looked settled, Curran pulls one flat and straight to Mohammad Nawaz at mid-wicket.

Will Jacks is the new batter.

Sam Curran c Mohammad Nawaz b Usman Tariq 16

Shadab Khan returns for his second over, a single off the first ball. Straight on leg and swept away for four by Harry Brook, who has been in good touch this evening. Brook walks down the pitch and sends one long over the bowler’s head for a massive six. Another six to finish the over.

Single for Brook and it brings up his fifty. Brook nearly holes out to the leg side. Luckily for England, the ball lands in no man’s land. Short from Ayub. Brook pulls it away for a four.

Shadab continues. Curran and Brook continue to deal in singles. This partnership is vital for England’s prospect in this game. Short from Shadab. Curran flat bats it down the ground. The ball bounces through Shaheen’s hands and runs away for a four. Absolute scenes.

Instant Impact! Usman Tariq strikes with his first ball. Banton edges a googly to the keeper.

Tom Banton c †Usman Khan b Usman Tariq 2 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Sam Curran walks in for England. He gets off the mark with a single to deep cover. Four more singles from the over.

Shadab gets his first over. Good start from the leg spinner. Banton concedes two dot balls. Brook with a gentle push to mid wicket. Smart running as England scampers in a double. Brook jumps out of the crease. Shadab pulls the length back. Inside edge and just misses the stumps. Two more runs added.

Mohammad Nawaz into the attack with his left-arm spin. Brook guides one to deep mid wicket for a double. Into the pads. Brook sweeps it over fine leg for a four. Brook goes inside out now. Over covers for another four. Brook hangs back and whacks a length delivery from Nawaz down the ground for a six.

Full from Shaheen and Brook cracks it through covers for a four. Shaheen adds another wicket to his PowerPlay haul. Bethell top edges a short ball and is caught brilliantly by Farhan in the deep.

Jacob Bethell c Sahibzada Farhan b Shaheen Shah Afridi 8 (10b 1x4 0x6)

Saim Ayub into the attack. Jacob Bethell attacks him with a slog sweep. Top edge and it goes miles high. Usman Tariq runs in from short fine. He barely gets a grip on the ball before spilling it. Huge moment in the game?

Buttler gets off the mark with a dab to the leg side. Two runs added. Buttler goes for a slash now. Edges it to keeper. England in trouble here.

Jos Buttler c †Usman Khan b Shaheen Shah Afridi 2 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Jacob Bethell is the new batter for England.

On the pads from Salman Mirza with his first ball. Too easy for Brook as he ticks it away for a four. Better line from Mirza now. Two dot balls. Back of a length a tad too straight from Mirza. Brook swats it away for a six.

Shaheen Shah Afridi strikes with his first ball. Away swinger and Phil Salt edges it to the keeper. Exactly what Pakistan wanted.

Phil Salt c †Usman Khan b Shaheen Shah Afridi 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Harry Brook in at No.3. He gets off the mark with a nudge to mid wicket.

Sahibzada Farhan continued his rich vein of form, his 63 off 45 balls helping Pakistan post 164/9. England needs 165 to make it to the semifinal.

Sam Curran to bowl the final over. England’s fielding is something it will discuss in the dressing room, it has been on and off throughout the evening. Turning out to be a decent final over as he tries to keep it tight. Pakistan is taking chances, running twos as these runs are important. Shadab flicks towards square leg and that brings up 160 for Pakistan. Last ball and flicked to midwicket and Shadab is run out to finish the innings.

Archer to Shaheen Shah Afridi and great catch by Curran at deep to remove the batter. Good length delivery and Mirza punches it in the gap for a quick single. Shadab Khan moves away from the stumps and cuts it towards backward point for a four

Shaheen Shah Afridi c Curran b Archer 2 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Most runs in a T20 World Cup edition: Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan enters Top 10, in sight of Virat Kohli’s record

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan continued his golden run in T20 World Cup 2026 as he scored a fifty against England in a Super Eight fixture in Pallekele on Tuesday. With this, Farhan is now the eighth-highest run getter in a single edition of a T20 World Cup.

Shadab Khan hits one over extra cover and through the hands of Harry Brook for a boundary. Usman Khan backs away and hits one towards long-on but cannot get past Jamie Overton. Mohammad Nawaz is trapped LBW, the umpire signals out. He reviews but to no avail and has to depart. A fine over from Liam Dawson, who finishes with figures of 3/24.

Usman Khan c Overton b Dawson 8 (5b 0x4 1x6)

Mohammad Nawaz lbw b Dawson 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Fakhar Zaman comes in and welcomes Rashid with a sixer. Rashid gets Zaman immediately in his third ball, great catch by Dawson running backwards. A sixer to end the over as Usman nails the slog sweep over mid wicket

Fakhar Zaman c Dawson b Rashid 25 (16b 2x4 2x6)

Jamie Overton returns for his third over and starts with a dot ball. Farhan takes him on and clears long-on for a six off the second ball. Overton bites back with his fourth ball. It is a straight yorker and gets him plumb. Jubilation in the England camp as Farhan departs for 63. A wicket and 14 runs from the over.

Sahibzada Farhan lbw b Overton 63 (45b 7x4 2x6)

Sam Curran is punched down long on for a single by Farhan. Third ball and Farhan swings one down wide mid on for yet another single. This is turning out to be a good over for England, Curran finishes the over with his moon ball and almost creates a run out opportunity.

Will Jacks continues, Fakhar welcomes him with a six. Farhan hits another six over mid-on, this is turning into a costly over. Farhan hits one toward deep cover to bring up his half century in 37 balls. (16 runs from that over)

Rashid into the attack now. Fakhar takes a wild swing and misses it completely. Fakhar tries a reverse sweep, unsuccessful in the execution. Fifth delivery, and Fakhar opens the face of bat and gets a quick single. A boundary to end the over.

Fakhar Zaman walks in as the new batter and is off the mark with a boundary. Bethell is having a nightmare on the fences this evening, that’s twice he has fumbled. Farhan hits one towards square leg for a single.

Jamie Overton returns for his second over. Babar hits one towards long on for a single. Good length ball and Farhan hacks it toward square leg for another single. Overton strikes, good length ball and Babar completely mistimes it and is bowled.

Babar Azam b Overton 25 (24b 2x4 0x6)

Babar chips Rashid down the ground. Should have been a couple. But Pakistan settles for a single. Poor running there. Wrong’un from Rashid. Babar nearly chops it on. Just four singles from the over.

Dawson from the other end. Two singles to get the over going. Babar with an aggressive shot to the leg side. Good fielding by Will Jacks at deep mid wicket. Two runs added. Just five runs from the over.

Adil Rashid into the attack. Big legside wide to start with. Babar with a push to mid wicket to add a single. Short from Rashid. Farhan pulls it away for a single. Not the greatest shot placement there.

Sam Curran with his first over. Babar gains two runs thanks to an overthrow. Curran with his trademark ‘Moon Ball’. Floats in really slow. Farhan gets it away to long on for a single. Too full from Curran. Farhan crunches it down the ground for a four.

Dawson with his second. Couple of dots to start the over. Quicker ball on the pads now. Farhan nudges it away and it runs away for a four. Slog sweep from Farhan and Bethell with a brilliant diving stop to prevent a four. Pakistan ends the PowerPlay at 46/2.

Third over for Archer inside the PowerPlay. Couple of singles to start the over. Babar and Farhan are struggling to deal with Archer’s quick short balls. Finally, Babar middles one. Pulls it through the gap for a four. That should do him a world of confidence. Back of length now. Babar expertly guides it behind point for a four.

Agha attacks Dawson straight away. Lofts him over the leg side. A misfield from Bethell and it squirms to the fence. FOUR! Salman goes for it again. Chips it down the ground. Overton with a good diving catch at long off.

Salman Agha c Overton b Dawson 5 (6b 1x4 0x6)

Short from Archer. Ayub can only top edge it. Good catch by Bethell in the deep.

Saim Ayub c Bethell b Archer 7 (7b 1x4 0x6)

Salman Agha is the new batter and he is welcomed by a sharp rising delivery from Archer. Grazes his chest. Another shortish delivery. Play and miss from the Pakistan skipper. Hard length from Archer. Farhan hacks at it. Under edge and it skips past short fine leg for a four. Shorter now from Archer. Farhan goes after it. It is high and just wide of Phil Salt, who made a lot of ground from deep square. FOUR!!

Wide and short from Jamie Overton to start with. Farhan flicks it over point for a four. On the pads to Ayub. Clicked away stylishly for a double. A legside wide from Overton now.

Pakistan openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub have made their way out to the middle. Jofra Archer with the first over for England. Length ball to start with. Defended off the back foot by Farhan. Hard length again. Farhan is beaten now. Farhan punches one to covers for a single to get going. Ayub is beaten by an outswinger from Archer. Ayub dances down the track to carve Archer over covers for a four. First boundary of the day.

A win today would seal England’s semifinal spot. For Pakistan, a loss won’t technically be a knockout blow. But a win would certainly put it in control of its own destiny.

66 and 67 metres square. It certainly looks a very good surface. It looks really, really good. A typical Pallekele wicket. England played on a couple of surfaces here the other day that were used and far more spin-friendly. This one, though, is completely different. There’s a full covering of grass, clearly unused, and it feels rock-hard underfoot. By - Eoin Morgan and Rameez Raja.

England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook(c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq

We are unchanged from the last game. Fresh pitch so hopefully it’ll be better for chasing. We’ve done our homework on the opposition, including the unorthodox options like Usman Tariq. There’s plenty of footage and data available, so we’re well prepared. If we win tonight, a semi-final spot is within reach, but T20 cricket can turn quickly. We’ll focus on playing our best cricket and sticking to our processes.

We are gonna bat first. It’s our first game of the tournament here in Pallekele, but we’ve been playing most of our cricket in Colombo. Wherever you go, adjusting to conditions is key, and we’ve had to do that quickly after coming back just a couple of days ago. Having said that, conditions across Sri Lanka are generally similar, so we know what to expect today. One change for us. Faheem is out and Shaheen Afridi comes in.

Pakistan wins the toss and elects to bat first.

There is a negligible chance (2% to 13%) of rain during match hours at Pallekele today. We should ideally have a full game.

England and Pakistan have played 31 T20Is against each other. England has won 20 of them, while Pakistan has won nine. One game was tied, while one ended as a No Result.

In a repeat of the 2022 T20 World Cup final, England heads into the contest with a 5-0 record in its last five T20 meetings against Pakistan.

England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq

Big game this for both teams. They met each other in the final of the 2022 edition, which the Three Lions won. If England wins tonight, it is as good as through to the semis. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be desperate for a win after its opener against New Zealand was washed out.

England will take on Pakistan in a T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight clash at the Pallekele Stadium on Tuesday.

England started the Super Eight stage with a convincing win against Sri Lanka, while Pakistan began with a washed out game against New Zealand.

Welcome to Sportstar’s Live Blog of the England vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match.

Click here to read article