PALLEKELE: Richly talented but much maligned, England captain Harry Brook finally achieved redemption in Pallekele after a torrid few months — and came of age as a leader.

His match-winning century against Pakistan on Tuesday will go down as the finest innings of the 27-year-old’s white-ball career because it single-handedly took his side into a fifth successive T20 World Cup semi-final.

Facing a tricky chase of 165 against Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, England could have been in dire straits when they lost Phil Salt first ball of the innings.

But Brooks, who normally bats at number five, strode to the wicket first drop in a massive statement of intent that said “leave it to me, lads”.

He embarked on a majestic innings — the second fastest century in the history of T20 World Cup and first by a captain — in an extraordinary demonstration of leadership from a man who had copped more than his fair share of flak. Only West Indies great Chris Gayle, against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup, reached three figures quicker. He took just 47 balls.

Before the tournament there had been calls for Brook’s resignation after he had to apologise for a Halloween incident on the white-ball tour of New Zealand, where he was punched by a nightclub bouncer — in his own words “a terrible mistake”.

On the eve of the T20 World Cup Brook admitted lying about being on his own that night to protect his teammates at the time.

All this had emerged after an Ashes debacle where Brook failed to score a century and was castigated in the English press — and mocked in Australia — for throwing his wicket away with reckless shots time and again.

A mid-Ashes beach break had fuelled accusations of a drinking culture in the England camp, as he was photographed with team-mates in bars, the beers seemingly flowing.

Brook answered all the critics in wonderful fashion on Tuesday night, demonstrating an intelligent cricketing brain to go with his unquestioned batting talent.

He judged perfectly when to attack and when to hold back, working singles and twos instead against a potent Pakistan attack who were taking regular wickets at the other end.

“It’s probably been the hardest winter of my life to be honest,” Brook told reporters after the match. “There’s been a lot of stuff behind the scenes. It’s just nice to see some rewards from my hard work away from the ground.”

‘BEST INNINGS OF HIS LIFE’

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi hailed Brook’s century as a “world-class knock” after it took England into the semi-finals and floored Pakistan to leave their hopes of making the last four out of their own hands.

Afridi jolted the England top order with a burst of three wickets before Brook played the ultimate captain’s innings to steer his side home.

“In my opinion this will be the best innings of his life,” Afridi told reporters “It wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on but he took the game away from us.”

Afridi was clobbered for a six and a four as Brook raced through the “nervous nineties” in two balls, going from 90 to 100 before raising his bat.

The tall paceman bowled Brook with a yorker next ball, but did not celebrate wildly — instead he immediately went to congratulate the England captain in a superb show of cricket sportmanship.

“Brook played proper cricketing shots and he deserved a handshake, so I went to him and shook his hand in appreciation,” said Afridi.

Pakistan have only one point from two Super Eight matches so now must win their final game and rely on other results going their way to have any hope of reaching the semi-finals.“We know our fate is not in our hands,” the pacer admitted, “But we need to beat Sri Lanka in our last match on Saturday and then hope other results go our way. It’s not ideal, but it like this.”

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2026