Pallekele [Sri Lanka], February 24 : England skipper Harry Brook made history during his side's Super Eight clash against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, becoming the first captain to hit a century in the tournament's history.
Coming in at number three following the first-ball dismissal of Phil Salt at the hands of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Brook brutally clobbered Pakistani bowlers, showing no mercy and decline in intent even when wickets fell all around him, scoring 100 in just 51 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes.
This is also the joint-second-fastest century in the T20 WC. This 50-ball ton is level with West Indies legend Chris Gayle's 50-ball effort against South Africa in the inaugural T20 World Cup. The fastest century in T20 World Cup history is also held by Gayle, who slammed a 47-ball century against England at Wankhede Stadium in 2016.
With this century, England has found its third all-format centurion as Brook joins legendary Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan in the elite list of England batters to have cracked a century in Tests, ODIs and T20Is alike.
This is also England's fifth-successive semifinal qualification in the T20 World Cup, having made it to the final four in every edition since 2016, winning the 2022 edition.
Brook's century is the fourth century in T20 World Cup chases, with England's Alex Hales holding the highest score of 116* against Sri Lanka in 2014 while chasing 190 runs, followed by 100 each by Gayle (against England in 2016 while chasing 183), Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka (against Australia in this year's tournament chasing 182) and Brook.
The Yorkshire sensation is also the third English batter after Hales (116* against Sri Lanka in the 2014 edition) and Jos Buttler (101* against Sri Lanka, 2021), to have scored a T20 World Cup century.
Coming to the match, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Sahibzada Farhan (63 in 45 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) continued his fine form in the tournament and along with knocks from Babar, Fakhar Zaman (25 in 16 balls, with two fours and sixes each), and Shadab Khan (23 in 11 balls, with four boundaries) took Pakistan to 164/9.
Liam Dawson (3/24), Jofra Archer (2/32) delivered brilliant four-over spells, while Jamie Overton (2/26) was also brilliant in his three-over spell.
In the run-chase, Shaheen Shah Afridi (4/30) reduced England to 58/4, but Brook (100 in 51 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes) did not give up, stitching partnerships with all-rounders Sam Curran (16 in 15 balls) and Will Jacks (28 in 23 balls, with a four and two sixes) and England won the match with two wickets and five wickets left.