Mohammad Nawaz Tom Banton. Image Credits: X
A fleeting on-field collision between Mohammad Nawaz and Tom Banton produced an awkward moment that briefly halted play and sparked a few laughs.
While the contact was clearly accidental in the intensity of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match between Pakistan and England, it nevertheless became one of those hilarious incidents that cricket fans will likely see replayed in cricket compilations on YouTube loops for years to come.
The moment even prompted a genuine laugh from Pakistan captain Salman Agha, who had little to say about the missed catching opportunity itself from Nawaz that ended up reprieving Harry Brook.
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Mohammad Nawaz drops Harry Brook, ‘touches’ Harry Brook
The hilarious incident occurred during the sixth over of the England innings and in the first over of Mohammad Nawaz’s spell. In the fifth ball of the over, Harry Brook toe-ended the ball back between the bowler and non-striker Tom Banton as he was looking to go down the ground.
Just beyond Nawaz’s reach, the Pakistani spinner still leaped towards his right to hold on to a near caught-and-bowl opportunity. However, the ball was too far for the cricketer’s catching comfort as Harry Brook gratefully accepted the unexpected lifeline.
Moreover, Mohammad Nawaz collided with Tom Banton, and accidentally touched his privates to spark a moment of sheer awkwardness that left players briefly amused before play resumed.
Watch the video below:
Harry Brook makes Pakistan pay after Nawaz’s missed opportunity
Harry Brook, who was batting at 35* off 19 balls at the time, went on to club 100 off just 51 deliveries with 10 cracking boundaries and four huge sixes. Chasing 165 in match 45 of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Brook’s innings helped England blaze past Pakistan with five balls and two wickets to spare.
Earlier in the evening, Pakistan charted 164-9 in 20 overs, with in-form opener Sahibzada Farhan minting 63 of those runs in 45 balls. Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan also chipped in with crucial 20s in the middle order. For England, Liam Dawson unfurled the spell of the innings with figures of 3-24.
In response, England lost both openers inside the first three overs of the innings. Tottering at 17-2, soon to be 58-4, captain Harry Brook tilted the tide by forming match-defining partnerships with Sam Curran and Will Jacks. The skipper took a special liking to Mohammad Nawaz, dispatching the Pakistani spinner for 17 runs in his first over.
England reaches semifinal, Pakistan falls on the brink
England also became the first side of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to qualify for the semifinals after defeating Pakistan in Pallekele. With two wins in two matches, the Englishmen are placed at the top of Group 2 points table with a formidable NRR of 1.491.
The Pakistan team, on the other hand, suffered a huge blow to its NRR following their opening Super 8 defeat. The earlier washout against New Zealand means that the ‘Men in Green’ are stranded on Group 2 with just one point. They will now face hosts Sri Lanka in match 50 of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on February 28.
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