In the first T20 match against Sri Lanka in Southampton, Harry Brook scored an impressive 114 not out from just 49 balls, helping England to a dominant victory by 119 runs. His aggressive batting style drew comparisons to former England player Kevin Pietersen, who is now part of the coaching staff. The article explores how the two players' styles and approaches to cricket compare, noting similarities in their willingness to take risks and attack the bowlers.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
England 254-4 (20 overs): Brook 114* (49), Buttler 80 (44)
Sri Lanka 135 (19 overs): Wellalage 33 (21); Baker 3-12
England won by 119 runs
asserted
England → win → runs
Harry Brook hit a brutal century and drew comparisons with Kevin Pietersen as England thrashed Sri Lanka by 119 runs in the first T20 in Southampton.
asserted
England → hit → Southampton
The sensational Brook, after a summer without a Test hundred, crashed the ball to all parts in hitting 114 not out from 49 balls to power his side to 254-4.
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Brook → crash → 4
"I don't even think the genius of KP could come close to what Harry Brook has talent-wise," said Brook's former captain and team-mate Ben Stokes, who was watching on TV.
uncertain
who → think → TV
Brook was six years old when Pietersen - a shock appointment as a mentor through to next year's World Cup - secured England the Ashes on the final day at The Oval in 2005.
asserted
Pietersen → secure → 2005
He was 14, now old enough to understand, when Pietersen was controversially dumped by England after the 2013-14 Ashes defeat.
asserted
Pietersen → understand → defeat
"I used to love watching him bat when I was younger," said Brook, external - then little more than a year into his international career.
asserted
Brook → use → career
"He always looked to take the attack to bowlers and put them under pressure.
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He → look → pressure
How do Brook and Pietersen compare?
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Brook → compare → ?
Pietersen invented the switch hit - a shot Brook rarely plays.
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Brook → invent → hit
Brook's version is that tumbling scoop over his and the wicketkeeper's head, a shot which was absent here.
asserted
which → tumble → head
They are most similar in the way they pick length, allowing them to pull, flat-bat or cut balls from spinners even in good areas.
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them → pick → areas
Brook did so throughout his partnership with Jos Buttler, who also played superbly for his 80 from 44 balls.
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who → do → balls
They put on 128 after debutant Aneurin Donald made 12.
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Donald → put → 12
And while Pietersen was educated in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and Brook under the Cumbrian hills in Sedbergh, they come from the same cricketing school.
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they → educate → school
"That's the way I play," Pietersen said after one aggressive shot too many during a Test in 2009.
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Pietersen → play → 2009
"I got to 97 playing that way so it obviously wasn't meant to be."
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it → get → 97
Those words could easily have come from the mouth of Brook.
uncertain
words → come → Brook
Such words are why Pietersen and Brook have stirred opinion among England fans more than any other batters in the modern era.
"Is it really that hard to just sit back and admire these players for what they are, on the good days and the bad days, and stop berating them for doing things that we would never, ever, ever even think of doing because we simply aren't on their level to think that way?"
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we → stir → level
Stokes added on social media.
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Stokes → add → media
Stokes, who backed Brook to succeed him as Test skipper, has always been a Brook fan.
asserted
who → back → skipper
Picking between Brook and Pietersen may well be pub chat one day, should Brook's career turn out as many hope.
uncertain
many → pick → Brook
For what it is worth, there is little to choose between their records at Brook's age of 27.
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it → be → 27
Pietersen's Test average, which ended at 47.28 after his 104 Tests, stood at 49.55 at this stage.
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which → end → stage
Brook's is 53.08, though Pietersen had two more centuries.
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Pietersen → have → centuries
Pietersen has the edge in one-day international cricket - an average of 47.87 and six centuries to Brook's 37.43 and three - but the Yorkshireman's second T20 century, hit on the south coast, is two more than Pietersen ever managed.
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Pietersen → have → coast
Perhaps where Brook lags behind is those iconic moments.
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moments → lag → ?
While Brook's Test best 317 on a road in Pakistan is a mark few can match, Pietersen's 158 at The Oval won England the 2005 Ashes in his fifth Test - the first of his four Ashes series wins.
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158 → match → wins
Eighteen months later he made the same score against Australia in Adelaide against Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
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he → make → Warne
Brook's best Ashes score remains 85.
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score → remain → ?
He is yet to win the urn.
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He → win → urn
Still, Brook's latest T20 display showed the company he could one day keep.
uncertain
he → show → company
A more mature batting style in whites this summer has also been noted.
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style → note → whites
Since being promoted to number three in England's T20 side at the World Cup earlier this year, Brook averages 95.20 at a strike-rate of 200.84.
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Brook → promote → 200.84
He has scored 288 runs in the format since he was last dismissed.
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he → score → format
"Harry Brook has today cemented himself as maybe the best all-format batter in the world," said former England bowler Steven Finn.
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Finn → cement → world
"Brook is lacking a Test century in the last year or so but he still averages 42 in that time.
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he → lack → time
"When you see the versatility of what he did today and the tempo he has played, he's a mighty special player."
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he → see → what
Brook also has one clear advantage in any debate for the maverick position in a fantasy England XI.
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Brook → have → XI
Overlooked for the Test captaincy, Brook has won 18 of his past 20 T20s as England captain.
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Brook → overlook → captain
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
