Watch: Harry Brook smashed back-to-back sixes off Ish Sodhi in a brutal partnership with Jonny Bairstow in the second T20I of the series against New Zealand at Old Trafford today (September 1)

Brook came to the crease in the seventh over with England 43-2 after Dawid Malan was dismissed for a four-ball duck. He was circumspect facing up to Sodhi’s first over, rotating the strike with Bairstow for singles. Having scored four runs off his first seven balls, Brook took Sodhi’s second over as his cue to tee-off.

He took a small skip down to the first ball of the over, giving himself room to hit into the off side and lofted the ball over extra-cover. It flew straight over the boundary rope and into the crowd for the first maximum of Brook’s innings.

The second ball, floated wider outside the off-stump this time from Sodhi, received the same treatment. Brook once again gave himself room, almost too much this time as he had to stretch for the ball, but made a good connection nonetheless. He managed to work the ball a touch squarer into the off side, again well over the rope.

While quiet for the rest of the over, just four runs coming off it, Brook and Bairstow were in complete control from there on. They blitzed a hundred partnership, trading boundaries to propel England towards the 200 mark. Sodhi finally had the last laugh by dismissing Brook for 67 off 36 in the 17th over. But, the innings added further fuel to calls for Brook to be added to England’s World Cup squad.

Combined with his century ten days ago in the Hundred, and his unbeaten 43 in the first T20I, this innings was the continuation of a superb run of form.

Watch: Harry Brook nails consecutive sixes off Ish Sodhi below

Back-to-back Brook boundaries 😍#EnglandCricket | #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/7QxYNwBQnk

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 1, 2023

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