Pallekele, Feb 24 (NationPress) In a stunning display of skill, England's captain Harry Brook orchestrated a thrilling comeback with a phenomenal century, scoring 100 runs off 51 balls while batting at No. 3 for the first time in his T20 International career. This outstanding performance led England to a hard-fought victory over Pakistan by two wickets in the Super 8s Group 2 match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday.

Brook, elevated in the batting order, decisively contributed 41 runs to England's total of 53 runs during the Power-play, showcasing his prowess as he became the first captain in T20 World Cup history to score a century.

The match witnessed an intense start as Shaheen Shah Afridi struck off the first ball of England's chase, dismissing Phil Salt for a golden duck. Shaheen continued his dominance with an out-swinger that sent Jos Buttler back to the pavilion, further extending his disappointing run in the tournament.

Despite a brief scare from Jacob Bethell, who was dropped early on, Shaheen managed to claim three wickets during the Powerplay, cementing his place as a key player with eight wickets in the tournament's first over.

However, Brook flourished against spin, launching Mohammad Nawaz for multiple boundaries and a massive straight six against Shadab Khan, momentarily taking control of the match.

Earlier, Pakistan struggled in their innings, losing two early wickets. Despite a disappointing performance from Saim Ayub, who could only manage a run-a-ball seven, Salman Ali Agha fell shortly after, leaving Pakistan at 46/2. Sahibzada Farhan provided some stability with a brisk start, while Babar Azam showed intent with a couple of boundaries.

The introduction of spin from Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson slowed Pakistan's scoring rate, forcing the batsmen to play cautiously. Fakhar Zaman attempted to accelerate the innings with a powerful shot against Will Jacks, but was ultimately dismissed by Dawson at a crucial juncture.

Usman Khan capitalized on a misfield to contribute runs, but Dawson's return saw him claim two important wickets, ending his spell with impressive figures of 3 for 24.

As England faced a challenging situation at 58 for 4 and later 103 for 5, Brook's explosive innings revitalized the team. He finished with a remarkable hundred, leaving the field to a standing ovation, with only 10 runs needed for victory.

Despite a late scare from Mohammad Nawaz, who took two wickets, Jofra Archer secured the winning runs, clinching England's spot in the semifinals with a game remaining, marking their fifth consecutive T20 World Cup semifinal appearance.

For Pakistan, the defeat leaves them needing to overcome Sri Lanka while hoping for favorable results elsewhere.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 164/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 63, Fakhar Zaman 25; Liam Dawson 3-24, Jamie Overton 2-26) lost to England 166/8 in 19.1 overs (Harry Brook 100, Will Jacks 28; Shaheen Afridi 4-30, Usman Tariq 2-31) by two wickets.