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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 the ICC T20 World Cup, Pakistan and England squared off in a pivotal Super Eights, Group 2 encounter that will be remembered less for the result and more for a singular act of sportsmanship. While England secured a nail-biting two-wicket victory to become the first team to reach the semi-finals, the image of Shaheen Shah Afridi extending his hand to Harry Brook after bowling him out became the defining snapshot of the tournament.
Shaheen Afridi reveals reason behind handshake with Harry Brook during Super 8 clash
In a high-stakes environment where a semi-final berth was on the line, Afridi’s gesture toward the England captain was both instinctive and deeply rooted in mutual respect. After dismissing Brook for a sensational 100 off 51 balls, Shaheen didn’t go for his trademark “eagle” celebration. Instead, he walked toward the batter to offer a handshake.
Afridi later revealed that the gesture was a “hat tip” to a world-class innings. The two share a history as former teammates for the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and that camaraderie transcended international rivalry. 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 anyone plays an innings like that, you should appreciate them,” Afridi noted post-match.
Afridi admitted that from a bowler’s perspective, Brook’s preparation was flawless, noting that the Englishman seemed “properly ready for every ball” and forced the bowlers to rethink their entire strategy on a tricky Pallekele surface.
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Afridi makes a vintage comeback with emphatic four wicket haul performance against England
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 legendary. Having been under pressure following a brief stint on the sidelines, the left-arm pacer proved why he remains one of the most feared new-ball bowlers in the world by claiming 4 for 30.
Afridi’s spell began with a thunderbolt that removed Phil Salt for a golden duck on the very first ball of the innings. He followed it up by dismissing the veteran Jos Buttler and the dangerous Jacob Bethell within the Powerplay, leaving England reeling at 35/3. Even as Brook anchored the chase, Afridi remained the only consistent threat, eventually returning to clean bowl Brook right after the centurion had reached his milestone.
Despite Pakistan’s narrow two-wicket defeat, Shaheen’s four-wicket haul reaffirmed his status as a big-game player. His ability to strike at the start and the death kept Pakistan in a contest they had no business being in after England’s mid-innings onslaught. For fans, seeing “Vintage Shaheen” back in rhythm was the silver lining in a result that left Pakistan’s semi-final hopes hanging by a thread.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: crickettimes.com
