A middling Ashes, where he could not score a hundred in 10 innings, and the revelation of his nightclub scuffle in Wellington – on his first overseas tour as England’s white-ball captain – had weighed on Brook’s credentials as a talismanic batter and an emerging leader.
England has been far from convincing in its wins through this World Cup, and Brook’s lean run did not promise great things heading into the business end of the tournament. But on Tuesday came the chance to turn a corner and set things straight.
After Phil Salt was back for a golden duck in England’s pursuit of 165, out came Brook at No. 3 for the first time in his T20I career.
“It was Baz, the mastermind, there. He had a discussion with me this morning about going up the order and trying to maximise the powerplay, and thankfully it paid off. It was to try and maximise the PowerPlay and put them under pressure early on,” Brook said at the post-match media conference.
In T20Is, Brook has had a clear affinity for pace. He strikes at 174 against the quicks as compared to the modest 135 against the slower bowlers.
RELATED: Harry Brook becomes first captain to score century in men’s T20 World Cup
Inserting him against Mohammad Nawaz, left-arm orthodox, and Shadab Khan, leg-break, further defied T20 convention.
But Brook raised the bar to fit the occasion and its demand, coming up with a century that was no less than a coming-of-age moment for the 27-year-old.
He landed the first punch on Pakistan by picking 17 runs off Nawaz in the final over of the PowerPlay.
Sweeping for success: Brook took the gamble in opting for sweep shots — something he has not been confident about in the past few months — and reaped the dividends
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Sweeping for success: Brook took the gamble in opting for sweep shots — something he has not been confident about in the past few months — and reaped the dividends
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Brook is not a liberal employer of the sweep shot. He’s used the option just 10 times in his T20I career.
His attempts to steer away from his classic mould have not gone down well in the past. During the Ashes, it was his reckless reverse sweeps that had brought him and his game awareness under scrutiny.
Against Nawaz, Brook took the gamble in opting for a sweep and reaped the dividends. Shuffling across his stumps, he got down and lofted over short fine leg. The other two hits in the over, a slice over cover and a loft over long on, might not have been that daunting.
Brook racked up 41 runs through the first six overs, the seventh-most by a batter in T20 World Cups. They were all the more important since they eased the nerves of the early wickets that England lost.
ALSO READ: England qualifIes for semifinals as Brook’s century scripts tense win over Pakistan
“Thankfully, I got off to a good start. It’s a lot easier facing their main spinners when you’re on 30 or 40, rather than starting against them,” Brook said.
However, he truly excelled in the chase with his subtle adjustments between bursts of aggression. Through the innings, Brook completed nine doubles. It was a vital retort to negate Usman Tariq, who had nabbed Tom Banton and Sam Curran and threatened to halt England in its tracks.
Rotation is key: Running between the wickets was key aspect of Brook’s century, as England successfully chased down 166 with five balls to spare.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Rotation is key: Running between the wickets was key aspect of Brook’s century, as England successfully chased down 166 with five balls to spare.
| Photo Credit:
AP
“The outfield was actually really hard, so it was bobbling quite a lot. Thankfully, I lost a little bit of weight a couple of years ago because I wouldn’t have been able to run all those twos before. But we were just trying to put pressure on their fielders as much as possible, and that’s something we’ve spoken about for the last few months,” Brook said.
RELATED: ‘Harry Brook played the best innings of his life,’ says Shaheen Afridi
By his second outright charge against spin, this time off Shadab in the 11th over, England was cantering home. Brook was assured enough to step out for a down-the-ground hit and continue with his sweep – the two shots got him 10 runs before a pull through midwicket added another four.
A dipping yorker from Shaheen Afridi crashed into his middle stump just one delivery after his 50-ball century in the 17th over, but England had the contest in its bag. Brook had finally stood up. Even Afridi granted him a token of appreciation, rushing for a handshake as Brook walked off.
A respectable exit: Harry Brook (left) scored 100 off 50 balls before Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed him, the pair sharing a handshake in a fine display of sportsmanship.
| Photo Credit:
AP
A respectable exit: Harry Brook (left) scored 100 off 50 balls before Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed him, the pair sharing a handshake in a fine display of sportsmanship.
| Photo Credit:
AP
“I don’t know [if I’ll continue at No. 3]. That’s something for me and Baz to chat about. The longer I bat, the better it is for me. It’s a lot easier facing the best bowlers through the middle period when you’re already set.
“It’s probably been the hardest winter of my life, to be honest. There’s been a lot of stuff behind the scenes. Well, not behind the scenes, but you know. It’s just nice to see some rewards from my hard work away from the ground,” Brook said.
England moves to Colombo to face New Zealand with not much at stake.
The spirits will be high in the dugout, not just for the semifinals, but for its leader finding his footing just in time for the home stretch. Harry Brook’s ‘hardest winter’ is behind him.
Published on Feb 25, 2026
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