Harry Brook makes 'horrendous' admission with England star under investigation after nightclub incident

"It's not been a very nice time of my life," Brook said ahead of leading England into the T20 World Cup.

The Yorkshire batsman acknowledged his error and expressed determination to refocus on cricket.

"All I do is hit a ball with a bat and that's what I want to carry on doing for the rest of my career," he added.

"I obviously made a mistake, I've got to try and put that behind me and focus on what's more important."

The incident occurred more than three months ago when Brook was struck by a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand, just hours before he was due to captain the national side.

The controversy reignited when the Daily Telegraph revealed that Brook had not been alone that evening, contradicting his initial account. Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue were in fact with him at the venue.

Brook subsequently issued a statement apologising for misleading people about being unaccompanied, explaining he had done so to protect his teammates from criticism.

The Cricket Regulator is now examining the matter, which has prevented Brook from discussing specific details of what occurred that night.

Brook reflected on the heightened demands that come with leading the national team, acknowledging he has gained valuable perspective from the ordeal.

"I've definitely learned there's a hell of a lot more responsibility on your shoulders when you're captain," he said.

"When you're a leader, you can't take that responsibility lightly and you've got to be on virtually all the time."

The 26-year-old revealed that his agent and fellow cricketer Brydon Carse have provided crucial support throughout the controversy. He intends to properly process events once the tournament concludes.

Brook also explained how stepping onto the pitch offers respite from external pressures.

"It's weird, as a professional sportsman, when you get out to the wicket, and you're a batter, everything just seems to float away," he said.

England head into their pursuit of a third T20 World Cup title following successful white-ball series victories in Sri Lanka, where Brook rediscovered his form with a century from 57 deliveries in one-day cricket and a devastating 36 from just 12 balls in the shortest format.

Phil Salt has recovered from the back spasm that ruled him out of Tuesday's final T20 against Sri Lanka and will partner Jos Buttler at the top of the order at the Wankhede Stadium.

England have opted for Luke Wood ahead of Jamie Overton, while Tom Banton has been selected over Ben Duckett. The side features four spinning options, with Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson joined by Bethell and Will Jacks.

Sunday's fixture against Nepal represents the first meeting between the nations in any format.