Shaheen Shah Afridi hailed Harry Brook’s century as a “world-class knock” after it took England into the T20 World Cup semi-finals and floored Pakistan to leave their hopes of making the last four out of their own hands.
Brook reached his maiden T20 international hundred off 50 balls, with four sixes and 10 fours, as England went past their 165-run target with five balls to spare to win by two wickets.
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.”
Promoted to number three after a morning conversation with England coach Brendon McCullum, Brook walked in after Afridi dismissed Phil Salt off the first ball of the innings.
Afridi then removed Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell to leave England wobbling at 35-3 in the power play.
Brook stood firm, adding 45 for the fifth wicket with Sam Curran and 52 with Will Jacks for the sixth.
His century was the second fastest in T20 World Cup history, and the first ever by a team’s captain.
Only West Indies great Chris Gayle, against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup, reached three figures quicker. He took just 47 balls.
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 desreved 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,” he 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.”
sh/dh
