England became the first team to reach the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a tense two-wicket win over Pakistan in Pallekele on Tuesday night.
Jofra Archer’s first delivery through midwicket sealed victory for England as they chased down a target of 165 with two wickets in hand and confirm their spot in the last four.
Brook Anchors England in Crucial Chase
Harry Brook played the starring role in England’s run chase, scoring his maiden T20 international century from 50 balls and lifting his side when it mattered most.
Brook became the third English batter to score a century across formats for England, reaching the milestone with a six over cover and a deft four through long‑off.
England Struggle Late but Hold Nerve
Despite Brook’s dominant performance, England wobbled towards the end of their innings as they scored only six runs from 12 legal deliveries and lost three wickets with victory in sight.
Pakistan bowlers kept the pressure on, dismissing Brook and Overton as the target came down to the final few deliveries of the must win game.
Pakistani Bowlers Fight Back
Pakistan’s bowling attack struck at key moments, with Usman Tariq taking an early wicket and Mohammad Nawaz stumping Overton to tighten the chase.
Tariq conceded runs in his final over, but brought his team back into contention with crucial breakthroughs as England struggled to score freely in the final stages.
Pakistan’s Batting Falters Too Early
Earlier, Pakistan set a modest total of 164 for eight after choosing to bat first, with Sahibzada Farhan contributing well but lacking strong support from his partners.
England bowlers Jamie Overton and Liam Dawson struck important blows, removing Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman to keep Pakistan below a competitive score on a fresh Pallekele pitch.
England’s Form Still Uneven, Progress Clear
England’s progression to the semi‑finals came despite inconsistent batting performances earlier in the tournament, including struggles from senior players like Jos Buttler at the top of the order.
Will Jacks’ all‑round contributions continued to be crucial, and England’s four consecutive semi‑final appearances underline their resilience despite not yet delivering their best overall performance.
What’s Next for Pakistan
The Men in Green currently have only one point after their washed-out match against New Zealand, leaving them with very slim chances of qualifying for the semi-final stage of the tournament.
Pakistan will need England to defeat New Zealand and for Sri Lanka to overcome New Zealand in their match, while Pakistan must secure a win against co-host Sri Lanka to keep semi-final hopes alive.
Another scenario arises if England beat New Zealand, New Zealand defeats Sri Lanka, and Pakistan also wins against Sri Lanka, in which case Pakistan’s progression to the semi-finals will depend entirely on net run rate.
If Sri Lanka defeats both Pakistan and New Zealand in upcoming matches, Pakistan and New Zealand will be eliminated from the competition, leaving no chance for either team to advance to the semi-final stage.
