T20 World Cup likely to see its first 300-plus total, hints England captain Harry Brook

England captain Harry Brook believes 300-run totals could become a reality at the T20 World Cup 2026, citing Indian conditions as a major factor. Speaking at the captains’ press conference ahead of the tournament, Brook said there were several venues in India where such scores were achievable.

England are one of only two full-member nations to have breached the 300-run mark in T20 cricket. They smashed 304 against South Africa earlier in 2025. Zimbabwe remain the only other side to cross that barrier, having piled up 344 against Gambia in 2024, the highest total in the format to date.

Brook pointed to rapid outfields and shorter boundaries as a dangerous combination for bowlers.

“There’s plenty of grounds in India where there could be a score of 300-plus,” Brook said on Thursday.

“The wickets look really good at the minute — rapid outfields and fairly short boundaries. You’ve just got to go out there and be fearless, not worry too much about getting out, and keep trying to take the bowlers on.”

WHY BIG TOTALS ARE BECOMING COMMON

Massive scores have become increasingly frequent in T20 cricket, driven by flatter pitches, improved bat technology and a more aggressive batting mindset.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram, speaking at the same media briefing, explained that batters are now thinking differently while constructing their innings. Instead of focusing on overs, they are targeting specific clusters of deliveries.

“The game is moving forward quickly nowadays,” Markram said.

“We’ve probably got to a stage where you’re not looking at winning overs, but small groups of balls. Grouping a couple of good balls together makes a big difference, so you do feel sorry for the bowlers.”

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Brook and Markram both acknowledged the challenge for bowlers and stressed the importance of calm leadership during high-scoring phases.

“You’ve got to keep a cool head as much as you possibly can,” Brook said.

“Try to slow the game down in certain moments and speed it up when you’re on top. Most importantly, you’ve got to stay calm and help your bowlers stay calm as well.”

HOW TO STOP 200-RUN TOTALS?

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan offered a bowler’s perspective, saying mindset remained crucial even in batter-friendly conditions.

“As a bowler, you can’t think about teams scoring 200 or 300 and let that play on your mind,” Rashid said.

“If you accept that, it’s going to happen. I never accept that a team is going to score 200. You always come in with the mindset of restricting them as low as possible.”

“If you carry the energy that 250 or 300 is normal, trust me, it will happen. That’s where experience comes in — when conditions aren’t in your favour, you have to bring your skills into the game,” Rashid added.

The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, with teams divided into four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 8 stage, followed by the semi-finals. The final is scheduled for March 8.

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