Test Match Special - Brook century blasts England into semi-finals

Episode Date: February 24, 2026

Daniel Norcross is alongside 2017 World Cup winner Alex Hartley and Aatif Nawaz for reaction to Harry Brook's incredible century which sees England reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.

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And all the bizarre ways people are using. the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Solomon Meza comes in around the wicket to Archer, moves across his stumps, pulls it. Out towards deep midwicket. It's running away towards the boundary. It will get there.

Joffre Archer has struck the boundary that has taken England into the semifinals of the men's T20 World Cup. It has not been with how. some tension and some drama. England win the game by two wickets. I'm Daniel Norcos. I'm alongside World Cup winner Alex Hartley as we look back on a quite extraordinary game of cricket

at the Palakeli International Stadium in Candy where England have won against Pakistan by two wickets with five balls to spare and in so doing they have booked their place in the semifinals of the Men's T20 World Cup with a game to spare. This is an England team that have not been tipped heavily

have been, I would say, criticized for the way they played throughout this tournament, that they've not shown consistency, that they've not had any standout players, that they've limped over the line against Nepal. Well, it doesn't really matter when anybody says they are in the semifinals and they've got there quicker than anybody else. And they got there in spectacular fashion today, thanks to an innings, and one of the all-time great innings from their captain Harry Brooke. He wanted his team to be fearless, and my goodness me.

He was fearless all right. He hit around 151 balls. When he was out, the score was 155 for 6. He came in when the score was nought for one off one ball, and his innings has been without doubt the difference between England and Pakistan today. Alex, where do we begin? I mean, this game has twisted and turned so many times today, with Pakistan looking like they were going to say.

said 180 at one point and other points looking like they might only said 150 ending up setting 165 England being all over the place at the start losing wickets early there were 35 for 3 58 for 4 Pakistan felt well on top and then they just ran into

Harry Brooke who was quite simply staggering yeah he really was he was brilliant today you know he's a world class player there's been a lot of talk and he's not done it when it matters he's not done it on the world stage. He's not done it for his team. He's not ever had a player of the match performance for his team. He's asked a lot of his team. He's said, I want them to be more aggressive when they're not playing great cricket. Let's be honest. It's been at times really

tough to watch. And he's come out and said, hit the ball harder, hit the ball further, be braver, be better. And he's come out today, second ball of the innings, and he's been that person. He has stepped up. He's gone, actually, I'll go in at number three. England lose a wicket, first ball of the innings. I'll do it. I'll go three. puts his hand up and shown exactly why he should. We're going to hear quite a lot from him, I imagine, because he's going to be the man of the match, and he's going to be the captain who's going to want a fair bit to say about,

well, I'd be a very happy captain as well, but a fair bit to say about how England had made it through the semifinals so quickly. But let's go back to the beginning. Pakistan won the toss. They elected to bat. I would say it raised eyebrows, but chasing sides have prospered here at Palak Kelly, and England have played a lot of T20 cricket here.

I think it's five out of six, something like that, the last six. And it was just, I think, that Pakistan wanted to do their batting bit first because the bowling bit is the bit that they're more comfortable with. And they think at the pointy end of the game, they can use their phalanx of spinners. And that can put pressure on. But when they came out to bat, they lost a couple of early wickets. It was all. To no surprise.

Here we go. Here is Harry Brooke. The player of the match is Harry Brooke, the English captain, who receives his player of the match medal from the iconic World Cup winning English captain. Owen Morgan, what an innings it was by him today. And even 100 of just 51 balls, Harry. I mean, most importantly, a semi-final birth, but hey, well, Cup 100.

How you feeling? Yeah, very happy with the way we played there, and it's just nice to get through to the semis now. And yeah, we've got one more game against New Zealand, and we focus on that, but then the bigger prize at the other side. You're in a class of your own today, batted absolutely beautifully. That promotion to number three, though,

talk us through the mindset with that in the team. That was Baz. It was all Baz. Yeah, he came to me this morning and just said, look, we might change you up and put you up at three today. And we've spoken about adapting and changing all sorts throughout this competition. And just having the bravery to do that today was awesome. Seen to unlock a new level in your game personally as well. Is it something that you enjoy? Well, getting better. Number three. I haven't done it much, but it's nice to get out there and face as many balls as possible.

They gave you a little bit of a scare towards the end as well. What did you make with the Pakistan outfit today? Yeah, they're good. They're always good. They're some of the world-class players in there. They have been for many years. And yeah, like I said, it's just nice to get over the line. Such a wonderful all-round performance for everyone.

Some great buddy with you and Will Jacks at the back end as well. Confidence seems to be building in the English side. As you said, getting better and better and a more cohesive unit every time. Do you feel like you're in the right place now heading into the semis? Yeah, there's obviously areas that we still want to improve on. and yeah, you can never quite get perfection, but we're always striving for it.

So, yeah, like I said, we'll look towards the New Zealand game now, and our mind is completely on that. A World Cup 100 as well. What a special moment. Any emotions growing through your head, or you just focused on getting the job done? I was just happy that we got the job done, to be honest. Yeah, we were in a tricky situation at the start,

and then, yeah, a couple of partnerships, though, it was nice. And, yeah, like I said, just nice to get over the line. Well, congratulations, a beautifully batted and a really great win. Thank you. That was a very delighted, Harry Brooke. I mean, there's a lot to take in there, and we will be doing that over the next 15 to 20 minutes or so. But let's get back to the start of the game,

because England, they changed things up. There was no Will Jackson to Power Play this time. They assessed the conditions were a bit different. The pitch was a bit different. They opened with Archer, yes, who was bowling fire. I mean, touching 92, 93. At the other end, Jamie Overton was bowling 90 miles an hour as well. He opened the bowling.

And it was a sort of different look to the way England were going to play. They adapted to the conditions well, I thought. And 27 for two, they got themselves a good start. And actually, they kept a lid on stuff. Well, Barba Arson was out there with Sybzada Farhan, who, again, looks different class from everybody else with the back of the Pakistan team. I mean, Baba got 25 off 24. And when he was out, 73 for three of the one ball shy of 11 overs,

it just looked like they hadn't got going. You know, we were sort of talking 150. Is that where the game's lost, though? I wonder. You know, I know that you look down the order and no one else has really got run. Shadab Khan got 23 off 11. But Barbara Zam almost put a halt to the run scoring, didn't he?

Yes, he's going to run a ball, but there was no, like, let's push for twos. When we saw Harry Brook and Will Jack's not being able to score boundaries, they pushed so many twos. Barbara Zaman didn't really do that out in the middle. And look, if he could have got 35 off 24, it said completely different game. And indeed, you know, it felt like they were sort of lucky to get that because there were some streaky boundaries off the last balls of overs.

Joffre Archer, his figures of 2 for 32, do not flatter him. He had some really streaky edges that were flying away from four. There were some dismal-looking misfields, but that was happening throughout the game. I mean, that's been a feature of today's play, which could have something to do with the Jew or the bouncing. Is it raining? I don't know if it's rainy. I think it's just a great big mist has descended.

well actually maybe it is rain they've brought out covers but um i think i think it's just i think it's a very heavy mist and you know that was sort of a feature of today that fields were sort of sliding around a bit and so you know what what was 164 which is why i sort of confused about how we really assess this was kind of error enhanced it could easily have been 145 150 i mean jacobethe was was misfielding and you never see that no he had a bit of a bit of it. of a shocker in the field today. He pulled off some extraordinary stops as well. But, you know, he like one through his legs. He hit one onto the boundary sponge. He then hit one into his own leg, which went for four. So there is a bubbly outfield, and there was something wrong today with

the field in England was sloppy in the field, allowing Pakistan to get up to that 164. But was it after 10, 12 overs, that they're only two or three down? And you think, oh, hang on a minute, they go get a monster here. They should get a monster. And I think when you look at the games that been here at this ground, you think, oh, 164, 165 to win, probably about par, but it felt under par today, for me anyway. It just felt like they were probably 10 shy. Although, as it turned out, if I hadn't been Harry Brooke, they're probably about 32 many. And this is why it's been such an absorbing and extraordinary game. Who came back for England? Well, Joffar Archer, we've mentioned, picked up again,

wickets in the powerplay. He's a leading power play bowler in the competition. today that the lead spinner was Liam Dawson. It had been Will Jax before. It has been Adil Rashid on other occasions. Today, Liam Dawson, getting to play in his first world event at the age of 35, 324 in 4. He was on a hat-trick at one point, and it was part of a collapse for Pakistan. When they lost Sahib Saddam Faran, who was, as we say, the standout battle was 63 or 45. The score was 122 for 3 just before he got out.

And then somehow they managed to collapse to 149 for 8. it was there where that could have propelled them to 175 and as things turned out, that might have been enough for them to win the game. I think you've got to credit England's bowlers. Again, they're sort of finding a way. Today it wasn't Will Jax. Today it was Dawson.

Adil Rashid, four overs, one for 31. Again, I don't think those figures flattered him. There was a period when he had Garza Man in just all sorts of horrible strife, wouldn't they? He pulled an over at him and he was just all over the place. I mean, Joffra Archer's figures that, you know, they should have take 10 runs to 15 runs off that easily. He bowled absolute heat today, absolute rockets.

He had Siam Ayu going, hang on, I mean, this seems a little bit quick. I don't really want to be facing this before he had him hook in a ball that was clearly too quick for him. Quoted deep square. Yeah, he was fantastic today. And, you know, a couple of misfields here and there, and the ball went for four. But he had that bit between his teeth today, Joffre, didn't he? He really did. I mean, it was consistent pace.

he barely really tried much in the way of a change. He did one back-of-hand slower ball that got walloped for four. He mostly relied on his searing pace. So with that collapse, Pakistan could only muster 164, which, as you say, Alex felt par. But it felt like a lot more than par early on, England's reply, because for a start, they lost a wicket off the very first ball. Shaheen Shah and Sharifredi brought back into the team

after he wasn't selected for the washout the other day. had a pretty dismal tournament, but at one stage he had three for 13. I mean, what a crazy game cricket can be. I know, it was a weird and wonderful time for Shaheen, really, wasn't it? Because actually at the start of the day, he thinks, does he deserve to play back? He's one of the world's best, and on his day, he can win your games of cricket. And he bowled really nicely today. His last over was a little bit expensive.

It went for 14 runs. Well, that's Harry Brooke that did it, wasn't it? Exactly, and it was Harry Brooke with some extraordinary shots. So you almost think, oh, okay, you can kind of let him off. Yeah, he bowled nicely. And Pakistan were in the game all the way through. And even when Harry Brooke was going, you sort of felt if one of Harry Brooke or Will Jacks gets out, then it's not easy out there. You know, there's one man on this surface that has made it look easy today.

And it's Harry Brooke, who, you know, we saw it when Australia played with Mitch Marsh and Travis Head, totally different surface to anyone else. They just couldn't break that partnership earlier enough. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. There's been familiar failings for England at the top of the order. Today it was Phil Salt, getting a first ball. Doug got 60 on the last game. But Josh Butler, we need to talk about Josh Butler. It's another single figure score, fourth running, two off three balls.

Jacob Bethel hasn't actually looked in the best of touch. Thank you, Samma. My captain. My captain. Your reflections on the game overall? Yeah, I think we started well when he's come to bat, but yeah, we couldn't finish the way we wanted to. but at the end of the day

I think sometimes you have to give the credit to the other batter the way Harry batted I think is batted outstanding as well and it took the game away from us and you'll have a nervous weight now looking on other results in this group

yeah we just have to wait now to like other results and we'll still be hoping for the other result to go our way and then we have to win against Sri Lanka 164 at the halfway mark what did you think of that on the surface that presented itself

I think it was like a bit short but the way we both I think up front, we bowled really well. And then the Harry came and he took the game away from us and he batted outstanding line. We thrown everything on him, but he was too good for us today. It's been the old story for you really in this competition. For Han going well, getting runs again, there hasn't been other batters really that have helped him out significantly enough. Why do you think that has been the case?

Yeah, I think he batted really well in every single game he played in this World Cup. And he's been doing well for us last six, seven months. Yeah, we haven't done well. the other batters the way we wanted to, but it can go like that in World Cubs games, but we are still hoping in the next game we can do well. Big plus for you was the return to form of Shain Shire Friedi with a new ball.

Yeah, he's a, he bowed really well today, and that's what we asked for him, and that's what he's famous for, to wicket up front, and that's what he did today. You're going to be sick of the sight of Harry Brooke by the end of his career. He has a habit of getting runs against Pakistan. Yeah, it's always him.

Whenever we play against England and we lose, it's always him. But yeah, he bad really well. He just have to say, hats off to him. The way he batted today. And hopefully, hopefully, like, they can win against New Zealand first now.

Is he a hard batter to captain against, given the options he has as a batter? Yeah, it's very challenging the way he bet. When he's going the way he went today, it's become very hard because he can play all 360 in the ground. So it can get challenging. And it meant that because you only scored 164,

They didn't have to take too many risks against Tariq, and that seemed to be a key element of the game there. Yeah, I think they batted really well against him because they were not going hard against him. They were just taking one or two against him. And I think, yeah, I think still Osman Bowl really well. He took two wickets. Whenever we need a wicket, he was always there.

But yeah, they batted well against him as well. Did you still have a bit of hope right at the end there, just at the death? Did you think you might sneak home? Yeah, the way, Noaz bowl, the second last over, I thought maybe you never know. Cricket is a funny game. Can anything happen?

But yeah, there was always hope. If there is a one person chance, I will, and my team will always hope. Thanks for your time. Good luck in the last game. Thank you very much. Harry Brooke for the second time tonight is coming up. Congratulations. A semi-final is confirmed for you.

Yeah, that's very nice. We've come here to do that job, and thankfully we've got over the line. Let's talk about what clearly was the key decision to move yourself up to number three. first of all, when was that decision made, and by whom? This morning by Baz. He was the mastermind behind it. And yeah, look, it could have not come off, but thankfully tonight it has. And what was the reasons behind it?

You must have chatted with him, and he must have explained why he wanted you to go up the order. Yeah, we wanted to try and maximise the power play a little bit more, and everybody knows that I like to try and take the game on, and I was going to do that from ball one. So, yeah, like I said, thankfully it came off, and I managed to get us a decent start. you said it was Brendan's decision. Had he not made that decision?

Was it in the back of your mind in any case about moving up the order? Yeah, I'd been thinking about it for a while. And it's something I want to do in my career moving forward anyway, not just for England. In franchise cricket, I want to get up there and try and face as many balls as possible. And did it also play into the consideration that it was against Pakistan today?

You've got an outstanding record actually across formats against this team. Yeah, Bad said that this morning. He said, well, what do you think? think about going number three, Pakistan's your team, and I was just like, yeah, let's do it. Halfway, Mark, 164. It wasn't a pitch-perfect fielding performance from you, was it? No, we struggled in the field, unfortunately. Obviously, the atmosphere wasn't as good as what we'd played against Sri Lanka, and that was the main chat before we went out there. Beth went to the group, he said, look, lads, the atmosphere is no good tonight. Let's try and keep the intensity up

and make sure our fielding's on point, and unfortunately, he misfielded a couple, but no, that That was something we really tried to do and it was a bubbly outfield and we just missed a few unfortunately. Wickets again in the power play. How important has that been for you? I think Joffra's taken eight wickets now in the power play in all the matches.

Yeah, it's very important in any game of T20 cricket to get you off to a start like that. Jopha has been awesome for many years doing that and it just puts them on the back foot early. Hundreds across formats for you. I know the win is more important than the three years. figures but nice to join Joss and David Malan who've done that. Yeah it's yeah it's always nice to

just win games of cricket and he was like he said to Sam and then it was a little bit nervy at the end I was going to ask that when you got up I mean didn't want to memories of the oval uh against India's flooding back after you'd got out I was about to say it's about no hopefully this isn't another oval but um no yeah thankfully we got over the line and we're through to the semis but the main focus now is on New Zealand and hopefully we can got there and play with a lot of confidence. And how will you approach that? Will you jig things around, give match time to others?

I mean, there's obviously areas that you still need to work on, particularly that top order to fire. That's something for me and Baz to have a chat about and the selectors. And, yeah, we'll see what happens there. And I don't think much will change, but you never know. Many congratulations. Well done. Thank you. That was Mike Atherton with Harry Brook.

Let's start with that, though, because, as we were saying, just before the captains came along, that 100 has papered over something of a crack for England, which continues to be a problem. Harrybrook going up to number three. You don't want to mess with somebody like Josh Butler. He's the greatest whiteball player. Who's writing Josh Butler off?

If you are, like, get a grip. Like, seriously. He's the best whiteball cricketer England have ever, ever produced. And he can't have this purple patch and he can't be in a brilliant run of form forever. And he's one of those players where it takes one shot of him to crunch one through the covers for him to slog sweet one for six and he'll be back. He will absolutely be back and look, it's not a worry because England are winning games.

It would be a worry if they're losing games and they're not playing good cricket. And look, they've played they've played bitty cricket, but somebody's always stepped up at a certain time. I have absolutely no doubt that when push comes to the shove, Josh Butler will step up and he'll be okay. He's just, the more we all talk about it, the less confidence he's going to have, the more he's to see. He's obviously got his own podcast now. He's got to talk about it on there. Harry Brooks said after the game against Sri Lanka, he's just a bloke that's running low on confidence. And you can sort of see that. You know, when he got out today, he's just like, oh, another one, here we go. But he's been through this before. He'll probably get 80 off

30 balls in the next game. Everyone goes, oh, what a strange old tournament? The next game is kind of a free hit against New Zealand. And that sometimes can liberate players, can't it? Do you see England just sticking with the formula? Because, you know, they get time off between these games. You want to get into a groove. You want to get into a kind of rhythm. It's three days before they play a game.

Yeah, so they'll travel tomorrow to Colombo. So it's basically, travel day is not really a day off for a player. No. You know, it's not a day off for a commentators. It's not a day off for a player because you're still in the bus. You've got to go to the gym, do all your ice baths and things like that. And then they'll have optional training on Thursday before the game Friday. I personally wouldn't change.

a thing for England. I think because they haven't had that complete performance, everybody will want to get out there and everybody will want to find that rhythm. It's been again, Will Jacks, who has done something unspectacular but utterly

important for England down at number seven. He's fast becoming England's player of the tournament. 28 of 23 today. Doesn't sound magnificent and he had some sticky patches. A couple of overs where he just kept on dotting up, but he found a bound a boundary here, he found a six there, he gave the support to Harry Brooke that he needed so badly in a 52-run, sixth-wicket partnership. Had he gone, we saw what happened after he was out. It could have been worse than it was, that it suddenly became very nervy towards the very back end, England sort of limping over the line with five balls to spare. But did you have it on your bingo card? I mean, when you're a sort of like sixth bowler and batting at number seven to end up being probably the

most consistent form for England throughout. Look, I didn't have Will Jacks down as being the player of the tournament, but he's one of those players that, you know, can step up when needed. He's got the second higher strike rate of the competition for somebody scored over 100 runs. He's been brilliant with bat and with ball. It's with the ball that surprised me. You know, we've all seen him bowl over the last year or so,

but I guess he's adapted really well, which has been impressive. Although today, England's bowler of the day, was the 35 year old Liam Dawson and our divnawars got the opportunity to have a chat with him at close of play. Liam, well done on getting over the line. It seemed like it was a little bit nervy towards the end. Yeah, for sure. I'm obviously going into that last couple of overs thinking we'll win it pretty easily. But yeah, we got over the line again, but what or not from Harry Brooke? Absolutely phenomenal that. You must be pleased with your own efforts as well with the ball. It seemed to grip nicely, turn nicely for you. Yeah, it was nice. Football ball nicely. I think the pitch will dictate what you had to do a little bit.

It's probably a better wicket than what we've had previously here. But yeah, to chase that score in a big game for us was brilliant. 164 is what was put on the board. How did you feel about that in the dressing room? Did you guys feel like you had them where you wanted them? That was chascible? Let them get a few too many. What was the thought in the dressing room?

Probably maybe a little too many, maybe. 10 or 15 too many. I think, for honest, we probably didn't field as well as we should have done out there. Probably gave him probably 10 runs in the field. So, yeah, we knew that it was going to be a tough chase. I think all the venue, all the games here have been sort of, tricky to bat on. But to chase that and the way Brookie play was phenomenal.

Yeah, let's talk about the Harry Brook innings. That felt like a really sensational once-in-a-lifetime type innings. I'd say once-in-a-lifetime, but I don't doubt he'll do it again. What was it like to just watch that from the dugout? Well, I think every time he's there, obviously, the dressing room's calm. He's a freak of a player. He's one of the world's best. I think when he plays like that, then fair play, too.

It was amazing to watch. You're through to the semi-finals now. You're going to be in India, somewhere in India. We don't know where yet exactly, but it must feel really good to know that the semi-final birth is secured. Yeah, without doubt, obviously, first and foremost was to qualify for the Super 8s. And obviously, next goal was to get to the semi-finals, so we've managed to do that. And, yeah, obviously, waiting to see who we play. Anybody you'd like to play?

I think you've got to beat everyone to try and win it. But, yeah, just happy to get there. And, yeah, it's a good feeling. Well, very well played today. Liam, it was fantastic to watch, and best of luck in the semis. Thank you, cheers. Tis. Artif they're talking to Liam Dorser,

but it's time for us to pivot to Pakistan because their campaign now hangs by a thread. Let's put it quite simply. If Sri Lanka can beat New Zealand, life becomes much, much easier for them. Then they know that if they can beat Sri Lanka, then they've got a good chance of getting through, but it will depend on net run rate

if New Zealand were to beat England. I know, it sounds like a bit of a mouthful, doesn't it? However, if England, to beat New Zealand anyway, they're in with a chance. So they're relying on other people. But Artiv, what was your assessment generally of Pakistan today? They came so close, but they were defeated by, well, one man in that second innings. Yes, I think in a weird way, I think they'll take a lot of heart from that.

They came very close to beating an England side that's had the wool over them in T20 cricket for a long time, especially in T20 World Cups. But they came very close and but for an incredible, almost unprecedented. precedented innings really from Harry Brooke who picked this moment to put forth as most self-assured and most calm and most intelligent innings really in this World Cup. The way he sort of picked his gaps, picked his moments and executed his big shots at just the right time to take it off. You know, he managed to hit a couple of bowlers out of the attack, including Syme Ayub, you know, who's now one of Pakistan's frontline bowlers.

I also thought he played Dostman Tharik very sensibly. Pakistan have, as we say, a multifaceted bowling attack. loads of different options to turn to with the spin. And he was just so clever about the way he targeted, you know, bowlers at the right time. He decided to sort of decelerate almost at times as well. He was happy to pick up twos. I thought England's running between the wicket. I mean, I don't know what he's clocking in on those, the bleep test or the new version of the bleep test,

whatever it is the players do now. I mean, he's in unbelievable shape to be able to run all those twos without having to stop to catch his breath or be down on his haunches even once. It was really impressive to watch. Like a lot of people, I found a very striking. that's his first T20 international 100, but it is, and I feel like it won't be the last. I think, Pakistan will look at this match and think we did a lot of things right in this game. Yeah, not ideal to lose those early wickets, but they managed to steady the ship.

They actually managed to accelerate reasonably well. A couple of players got out trying to go big towards the end, but that's going to happen because you're trying to play high-risk cricket, to try and get yourself a few extra runs. I think 164 wasn't a bad score on this pitch. Even sort of Liam Dawson alluded to that in his interviewer. halfway mile you said 55, 55, 45, 45 of Pakistan's favour. The wind predictor was in Pakistan's favour, 57% in fact, in 43. So it was a good total on this pitch, I think. There were moments where, you know, maybe they took their foot off the throttle a little bit. They started so well in that

power play. Shaheen have really looking like himself again, at least briefly, picked up four wickets today. That's a huge plus for Pakistan to have their strike seamer back in form. As you say, their fate does now lie in other hands, but it's loads of hands. It's, It's not just one sequence. There's a few different scenarios, which could see Pakistan go through, all of which are somewhat feasible. But what they do need to do is make sure they execute as close to this level, ideally about 10% better,

and they'd be confident about getting over the line against Sri Lanka. But I don't think it'll be massively doom and gloom. It will, sort of the general sense of doom and gloom is going to be there because you've lost a game and you've lost a close game and you've lost to England, and you're like now on the brink of elimination from the tournament. So, you know, there's a sense of doom and gloom. But it wasn't an awful performance. from Pakistan from start to finish.

There were loads of positive points. Ultimately, as you say, it came down to a player playing just spectacular earnings. That was the difference between the two sides. He alone was playing in a completely different environment, different conditions, different headspace to everybody else that took to that field today. So I don't think they'll take it too hard.

There will be disappointment, but equally they'll know that they were beaten by a special knock. I think it was sort of all summed up quite nicely. By the way, Shaheener freely shook hands with Harry Brooke after he got him out with a lovely, Yorker. He didn't celebrate. He just walked over, shook his hand, patted him on the back and said, well, battened. It's a touch of class that, actually.

It's a touch of class, and it's just an acknowledgement, really, that it's you. You've beaten us. I think the other ten, we had him covered, but you beat us and respect you for doing it. I've got to mention the name. I'm sorry, I'm turning you into Salman Aliaga here, who doesn't want to hear this name at any other press conference if you could possibly avoid it. But Barba Azam, 25 off 24.

was he rebuilding or was he responsible for reducing the ceiling of Pakistan's innings today? I think it's harsh to say he was reducing the ceiling just because he was there with Saib Zah the Farhan. They were batting about as quick as each other at the time. Right, the message came at the drinks break for him to, I imagine, from Mike Heson, to say, right, now is the time to push on or make way for the big hitters, which he sort of did. He stabilized that little phase with Pakistan lost the early wickets. he was there in the power play. You know, going almost at a run-a-ball in the 20s.

It's not ideal, but it was sort of fine for Pakistan. Did he put pressure on the lower order? I don't know. I mean, you could argue it either way, but I'll argue there's a value to what Barbara did today that goes beyond sort of the numbers as well. There's like a calming presence. There's the idea of bringing a little bit of stability

to what can be a haphazard phase. We saw in the England innings as well. Wickets fell in clumps. And there's always a danger of things just sort of falling apart. We saw that with Sri Lanka. We've seen him in several teams. But he is one of those players that gives you a sense of security, a sense of assurance. And there is value for that.

And again, I think the way Mike Heson uses him, you know, even though I'm not a huge fan of the comments that he made about him in the press conference, I think the way he uses him is appropriate. Like if he needs to just sort of forego Barber in the batting order and think, right, we've got the kind of platform where we want our big hitters to come in and play shots, then he can do that. He can send him in, keep that flexible batting order. You know, Fokker Zaman came and played a nice little came. as well for Pakistan.

There were a few batters chipping in towards the end. You know, it looked like they could get 180 at one point, but it equally looked like they could be dismissed for 140. So 164 was sort of halfway between that. And I don't think it was a bad total, really. It's really just, you know, they'll look at Harry Brooks settings and they'll think, okay, you know, in an ideal world, one of us would have done that.

And, you know, Saibzada-Ferhan came the closest, but even he, frankly, wasn't anywhere near what Brooke did. And he didn't have that kind of support that Brooke got from Jackson, Karen, as well. towards the end. So there'll be things that Pakistan will reflect on, but I don't think it'll be doom and gloom. I don't think it'll be catastrophic. Even when it comes to Barbarazam, I think the plan that they're going into these games with, they'll probably persevere with that, at least for the Sri Lanka game. That's it for the TMS podcast from here in Candy. England have got over the line and have

qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup. On Wednesday, New Zealand to take on the co-hosts Sri Lanka at the R-Permin'Ast Stadium in Colombo. That's at 7pm, R-time, 130 GMT. you're subscribed to TMS podcast on BBC Sound so you never miss an episode. Thanks for listening. We'll speak to you next time. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. I'm Rich Hall and this is Sports Strangest Crimes

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