England qualifies for semi finals of T20 World Cup, beats Pakistan by 2 wickets

England secured their spot in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals after a nerve-shredding two-wicket victory over Pakistan at Pallekele. Chasing a target of 165, England's innings was defined by a truly legendary performance from skipper Harry Brook. While the top order crumbled under the sheer pace of Shaheen Afridi, who removed Phil Salt and Jos Buttler early, Brook stood firm. He smashed a magnificent 100 off just 50 balls, hitting 10 fours and 4 sixes to bring England to the brink of victory before being cleaned up by Afridi in the 17th over.

The match took a dramatic turn after Brook’s departure, as Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz triggered a late-order collapse. England slipped from a comfortable position to needing 3 runs off the final over with only two wickets remaining. The tension reached a fever pitch as Salman Mirza took the ball for the final six deliveries, but the English tail managed to scramble the required runs with five balls to spare, sparking wild celebrations in the dugout.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan had struggled to a total of 164/9 after opting to bat first. Sahibzada Farhan was the standout performer for the Men in Green, scoring a composed 63, but he found little support from the other end. Liam Dawson was the pick of the English bowlers, claiming 3/24, while Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton chipped in with two wickets each to keep the target within reach.

This win marks England's best performance of the tournament so far, making them the first team to qualify for the semi-finals. For Pakistan, the narrow loss is a bitter pill to swallow, as their semi-final hopes now hang by a thread following this high-stakes Super 8 encounter.