DUBAI, UAE (AFP) — Abdul Razzaq single-handedly changed the course of the match with a brilliant innings as Pakistan beat England by four wickets to level their two-match Twenty20 series 1-1 here yesterday.

At the Dubai Sports City stadium, England scored 148-6 from their 20 overs after being put in by Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who was second time lucky with the toss.

In reply, Pakistan looked down and out after being reduced to 78-5 in 13 overs, mainly due to a superb bowling effort from Graeme Swann.

The spinner took 3-14 in his four overs, a haul which included the wickets of Umar Akmal (36), Shoaib Malik (13) and Shahid Afridi (8).

However, Razzaq smashed five sixes in his 46 not out in 18 balls, as Pakistan reached the target with one over to spare.

He first added 48 important runs for the sixth wicket with Fawad Alam, and then hit two sixes in the penultimate over of the match from debutant Ajmal Shahzad to seal the issue in favour of his team.

Malik was full of praise for Razzaq.

“He was just awesome. England set us a very good total. We didn’t start off well, but Razzaq batted really well to get us this game. The way he has come back, I am just speechless and very happy about it,” he said.

Collingwood was upbeat despite the loss, and said things looked good for the World T20 Cup, which will be played in April-May in the Caribbean Islands.

Earlier, in England’s innings, Joe Denly failed once again and was the first batsman to be dismissed when he was clean bowled by Yasir Arafat in the fourth over after making just five.

Scoreboard

England:

J Trott run out 39

J Denly b Arafat 5

K Pietersen lbw b Ajmal 62

E Morgan c Malik b Gul 9

L Wright c Afridi b Arafat 13

P Collingwood not out 11

T Bresnan c Nazir b Arafat 0

M Prior not out 1

Extras (nb1, w7) 8

Total (for six wickets; 20 overs) 148

Did not bat:, S Broad, G Swann, A Shahzad

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Denly), 2-110 (Trott), 3-120 (Pietersen), 4-125 (Morgan), 5-144 (Wright), 6-144 (Bresnan)

Bowling: Razzaq 4-0-17-0, Arafat 4-0-32-3 (w1), Afridi 4-0-27-0, Ajmal 4-0-29-1, Gul 4-0-43-1 (nb1, w2)

Pakistan:

I Nazir c Bresnan b Shahzad 4

I Farhat c Broad b Shahzad 0

U Akmal c Morgan b Swann 36

S Malik c Collingwood b Swann 13

S Afridi c Morgan b Swann 8

F Alam c Morgan b Broad 28

A Razzaq not out 46

Y Arafat not out 5

Extras (b4, w2, lb3) 9

Total (for six wickets; 20 overs) 149

Did not bat: S Ahmed, UGul, S Ajmal

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Nazir), 2-4 (Farhat), 3-40 (Malik), 4-64 (Afridi), 5-78 (Akmal), 6-126 (Alam)

Bowling: Shahzad 4-0-38-2, Bresnan 3-0-25-0 (w1), Broad 4-0-24-1, Swann 4-1-14-3 (w1), Wright 2-0-21-0, Collingwood 2-0-20-0

Result: Pakistan win by four wickets

Toss: Pakistan

Umpires: EAR de Silva (SRI) and Enamul Haque (BAN)

TV umpire: HDPK Dharmasena (SRI)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).