Calm Pietersen takes England to victory | Pakistan v England, 1st Twenty20, Dubai

Kevin Pietersen played a calm innings with the help of some excited talent of Eoin Morgan who take England home in the 1st Twenty20 match between England and Pakistan in Dubai. Pietersen and Morgan made Pakistan pay with the unbeaten record partnership of 112 runs chasing a modest target of 130 in 20 overs.

After winning the toss and batting first every one was hoping to see some fireworks from the Pakistan batsmen but unfortunately pitch and English bowlers doesn’t allowed them to do so and restrict Pakistan to a small total of 129 but forth-wicket record partnership 112-runs between Morgan and Pietersen grab an easy win in the end.

Chasing small total of 130 English batsmen also struggled at the start where England lost their 3 wickets for just 18 runs in 4.2 overs, really worried the English camp but returning from injury Pietersen and a new batting sensation Eoin Morgan decided not to give anything away to Pakistanis and take England home.

Chasing 130 England lost their 1st wicket on 7, Denly (1) was caught on mid wicket by Imran Farhat on the bowling of Yasir Arafat, Trott (4) was the next man to go, Abdur Razzaq bowled him on the total of 10.

Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood were holding the key for England in that run chase but casual Collingwood was runout with the throw from the deep. First everyone thinks that this will be an easy 2 but Collingwood was very casual in his approach and he paid the price for this.

3 for 18 in 4.2 overs, game on for both the sides, Pakistan now started to fancying their chances in the match on the other side Pietersen and Morgan were determent to get their side home.

After coming back form injury this was probably Pietersen’s best knock, he manovers the balls all over the park and didn,t try to switch in a T20 mood rightly according to pitch conditions, Eoin Morgan impress

everyone with the finishing touch he had down the order. Both players starts their innings with singles and doubles, Shoaib Malik the Pakistan captain done everything to break the partnership but English batsmen never gave them that luxury.

Trump card for Pakistan in T20 cricket Umar Gull starts his spell well but after 1 over Eoin Morgan took the charge to Gull who looked ordinary after his first over, Morgan hit 1 huge six to Umar Gull in his 2nd over and second six was enough to finish the match.

Eoin Morgan scores 67 notout of just 51 balls including 2 sixes and 7 fours but more importantly he finishes the game for England in style.

Kevin Pietersen looked like a responsible batsman who wanted to take his side to the victory; his innings was share mixture of class and aggression. He made 43 of 43 balls in which he hit only 3 fours. His innings with Eoin Morgan made Pakistan bowling line a mare spectator and won the game easily.

Pakistan batting was a nothing show, on a pitch which does not allowed you to play big shots, Pakistan tried it and failed. Imran Nazir played a non-T20 game and was out pulling at deep-square leg to denly, he scores 2 of 13 balls simply can’t read the pitch.

His partner Imran Farhat (14) looked a little better but when he was looking good to set he was runout courtesy of superb piece of fielding from Kevin Pietersen who ran from mid-on and aimed at one stump and hits it.

Khalid Latif (4) was also undone by the pitch variation and he was caught behind to Matt Prior, Wright took his wicket. Umar Akmal was the hope of Pakistan in that T20, all eyes were set on him to steal the show but after getting a good start he was caught at short-third man by Stuart Broad, this was the caught of the match, Broad dived to his left and his body was completely in the air when he took the catch. Akmal scores 13 from 17 balls.

England fielding in that match was a treat to watch, every one diving around the pitch to stop the singles and take catches.

After 4 for 39 Captain Shoaib Malik and Fawad Alam just steady the ship for Pakistan and take the score to 86, Malik looked good in his innings of 33 but he became the victim of Swann, Malik just played it in the leg side but couldn’t hold on to the shot and Collingwood takes a simple catch.

Abdur Razzaq (22) and Fawad Alam (23) also chipped in with some helpful contributions who managed to pull a fighting total in the board 129/8 in 20.0 overs.