New Delhi

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan hailed Harry Brook for producing what he described as a “complete innings” after the England skipper smashed a match-winning century against Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

England stormed into their fifth straight semifinal with a commanding win in Pallekele, becoming the first team to qualify from the Super Eights. Brook’s promotion to number three proved decisive, as he responded with a brilliant hundred under pressure.

Speaking on JioHotstar, Pathan praised the tactical move, noting that Brook had never batted above number four in T20 cricket before. He emphasized that delivering such a knock in a high-stakes World Cup clash made it one of the finest centuries in the format.

Brook walked in after Phil Salt fell to the very first ball, facing an aggressive spell from Shaheen Shah Afridi. Despite England slipping to 58/4 in the chase, Brook steadied the innings with maturity and composure. Pathan particularly admired his back-foot play against spin, his confident footwork, and his comfort against pace, calling the knock a “game-changer.”

Earlier, Pakistan posted 164/9 after choosing to bat first. Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 63, while contributions from Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan helped push the total. Liam Dawson led England’s bowling effort with three wickets, supported by Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton.

In response, Brook’s 100 off 51 balls anchored England’s chase. He built crucial partnerships with Sam Curran and Will Jacks to guide his side home and seal the semifinal berth.

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With England now on four points, they face New Zealand in their final Super Eight fixture in Colombo. Pakistan, currently on one point after a washout against New Zealand, must beat Sri Lanka and hope other results go their way to stay alive in the tournament.