The lush green backdrop of the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy played host to a modern classic on Tuesday. in the 45th match of ICC T20 World Cup, Pakistan And England The Super Eights took place in a Group 2 decider that will be remembered less for the result and more for a singular act of sportsmanship. While England achieved a thrilling win by two wickets and became the first team to reach the semi-finals, the image of Shaheen Shah Afridi extending his hand towards harry brook Him being bowled out became the decisive snapshot of the tournament.
Shaheen Afridi reveals the reason behind shaking hands with Harry Brook during the Super 8 match
In a high-stakes environment where a place in the semi-finals was assured, Afridi’s gesture towards the England captain was spontaneous and one of mutual respect. After dismissing Brook on his sensational 100 off 51 balls, Shaheen did not go for his trademark “eagle” celebration. Instead, he walked towards the batsman to shake hands.
Afridi later revealed that the gesture was a “hat tip” to a world-class innings. The two share a history as former teammates Lahore Qalandars In Pakistan Super League (PSL)And that camaraderie transcended international rivalries. Brook had promoted himself to No. 3 and systematically dismantled the Pakistani attack despite his team losing three early wickets.
“He deserved it because he played a world class innings., Harry and I have a very good friendship… When someone plays an innings like that you have to appreciate it.Afridi said after the match.
Afridi acknowledged that from a bowler’s point of view, Brook’s preparation was impeccable, noting that the Englishman “properly prepared for every ballAnd forced the bowlers to rethink their entire strategy on the difficult Pallekele surface.
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Afridi made a brilliant comeback against England by taking four wickets.
While the headlines belonged to Brook’s historic century – the first by an England captain in T20 World Cup history – Afridi’s performance was nothing short of great. The left-arm fast bowler, who was under pressure after being out of the team for a short time, proved why he remains one of the most dangerous new bowlers in the world by taking 4 wickets for 30 runs.
Afridi’s magic started with a thunderbolt which was deflected Phil Salt For a golden duck on the very first ball of the innings. After this he dismissed the veteran jos buttler and dangerous jacob bethel Within the powerplay, England were reduced to 35/3. Even when Brook chased the target, Afridi remained the constant threat and eventually returned to clean bowl Brook just after the century-maker reached his milestone.
Despite Pakistan’s close two-wicket defeat, Shaheen’s four wickets confirmed his status as a big-game player. His ability to attack at the beginning and end kept Pakistan going in a contest in which they had no business following England’s mid-innings attack. For the fans, it was a ray of hope to see “VINTAGE SHAHEEN” back in form, with Pakistan’s semi-final hopes hanging in the balance.