BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — An enterprising half-century from Kevin Pietersen propelled England to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup yesterday.

Pietersen struck eight fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 73 from 52 balls, as England, chasing 148 for victory, reached their target with three balls to spare in the first Super Eight match.

The former England captain reached his 50 from 37 balls with his second six, a lofted straight drive off Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi that crashed into the bottom level of the Coppin, Cozier & Short Media Centre at the Malcolm Marshall (southern) End of the ground.

Pietersen then formalised the result for England, when he drove Saeed Ajmal through extra cover for a boundary, and was later named Man of the Match.

This followed reckless batting from Pakistan, which restricted them to 147 for nine from their allocation of 20 overs, after they chose to bat on a hard, true Kensington Oval pitch.

Opener Salman Butt hit the top score of 34 from 26 balls and Umar Akmal made 30 from 25 balls for the Pakistanis.

Michael Yardy, Stuart Broad, and Ryan Sidebottom collected two wickets apiece for England.

Openers Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter gave England a solid start, but they were both fortunate to have been let-off early in their innings.

Saeed Ajmal was the offending fielder on all three occasions, when he dropped Kieswetter, on zero, at mid-on off Abdul Razzaq in the first over, and on four, at mid-on off Mohammad Aamer in the third over, as well as Lumb, on 23, at mid-off off the same bowler in the fifth over.

Ajmal became the hero, however, when he had Lumb stumped for 25 in the sixth over to give Pakistan the breakthrough.

England slipped to 65 for two, when Kieswetter was caught at long-on off Abdul Razzaq for 25, but England captain Paul Collingwood joined Pietersen, and they put their side firmly on track with a stand of 60 for the third wicket.

Collingwood was caught at long-on off Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi for 16 in the 16th over, and Eoin Morgan was bowled by Ajmal for five in the 18th over before England stepped over the threshold.

Earlier, Pakistan wobbled to 77-4 in the 11th over, and never fully recovered from the early strife.