England suffered the embarrasment of losing against minnows Holland in the opening game of this year's Cricket World Cup of the 20 overs version of the game.
Their biggest rivals, the Australians, laughed and cheered in their hotel when England suffered the shock loss, but the fact that Australia have subsequently gone on to lose to both the West Indies and Sri Lanka and are out of the tournament at the first Group Stage, whilst England are through to the Super 8's, means it is the English who are having the last laugh.
The Aussies have to stay in England, though, with the Ashes Series against England coming up in a month. Their captain Ricky Ponting apparently couldn't face spending another month in Leicester. You'll just have to put up with it, Sheila!
On Sunday, the team was revitalised, destroying Pakistan by 5 wickets in their second Group B match in front of England fan Daniel Radcliffe.
England were helped by the return of Kevin Pietersen, who smashed the ball all over the ground.
England's total of 185 for 5 meant that Pakistan needed 186 runs to win.
But they couldn't cope with England's bowlers, the ball bouncing in front of the batsmen in a way that would make Barnes Wallis proud.
Pakistan, though, are also through to the Super 8's having beaten Holland yesterday. All three teams - England, Pakistan, Holland - finished level on points, but Holland go out due to inferior Run Rate.
Up next for England, the tournament hosts, are South Africa in the Super 8's.
By Oliver Brett
BBC Sport at The Oval
World Twenty20 - Group B
VS
England: 185-5
Pakistan: 137-7
England win by 48 runs
At The Oval, London.
England: Bopara, L Wright, Pietersen, O Shah, Collingwood (C), Mascarenhas, J Foster (W), Rashid, Swann, Broad, Anderson
Pakistan: Salman Butt, Shehzad, Kamran Akmal (W), Younis Khan (C), Misbah, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Arafat, Umar Gul, Aamer, Saeed Ajmal
Fetch that: The maginificent Kevin Pietersen slogs England to victory over Pakistan
Photo: AP
England bounced back from their ignominious loss to the Netherlands with a 48-run win over Pakistan which guarantees their progress into the Super Eight phase of the ICC World Twenty20.
Vitally, Kevin Pietersen was passed fit to play despite his on-off Achilles difficulties and contributed a typically bombastic 58 off 38 balls with three sixes.
With all seven of England's required batsmen contributing boundaries, the hosts reached a total of 185-5. The target was by no means ungettable, but it was tough enough for Pakistan, who had entered the tournament with no great form behind them.
Younus Khan hit 46 not out of 31 balls, but his team finished limply on 137-7.
Too close for comfort: England's Ravi Bopara slides over the crease to narrowly avoid being run out
England outplayed Pakistan in every department, perhaps most noticeably in their fielding. Whereas their opponents dropped four catches and squandered runs through misfields and overthrows, England's performance in that area was almost flawless.
Ravi Bopara dropped an easy catch late in the day, but only because he had been dazzled by the excellent floodlights.
As for England's bowlers, all held their nerve admirably, despite some strict interpretation of the wide law by the umpires. Stuart Broad, in some people's eyes the villain of the piece at Lord's, was the pick with 3-17 from three hostile and accurate overs.
Pietersen replaced Rob Key, but England also dropped Eoin Morgan and Ryan Sidebottom from the team humbled by the Netherlands on Friday.
Going big: Kevin Pietersen sweeps for six
Graeme Swann and Dimitri Mascarenhas came into a team featuring 10 players who had bowled in international cricket before. With Adil Rashid retained, to some raised eyebrows, that meant England had two specialist spinners.
But it was England's batsmen, criticised for their conservative approach against the Dutch, who were the first to go under the microscope after Younus had won the toss.
Bopara, England's form player across all formats of the game, got England under way with a cut over point's head for four, but the second delivery of Mohammed Aamer's international career did for him.
Left-arm seamer Aamer, who has just turned 17, persuaded Bopara to spear a catch to backward point where Shoaib Malik took a good catch at head height, a couple of yards to his left.
Pietersen's return gave the entire England team a lift
England were in a bit of a pickle at 18-1 off 3.3 overs, whereupon Luke Wright cut loose in impressive fashion.
Aamer was hit over mid-off, pulled into the stands and edged past the wicketkeeper for 14 runs in three shots, before the batsman was the beneficiary of some appalling fielding by Umar Gul at third man, who let a ball trickle through his legs for four.
The next over, bowled by Yasir Arafat, was the one in which Pietersen went from first gear to overdrive, marmalising a chest-high full toss for four and smashing the next ball high into the pavilion.
That over cost 21, but Pakistan came back in the next, Gul flattening Wright's off-stump with a yorker. The Sussex man had made 34 from 16 balls, absolutely justifying his position.
Out came Pakistan's trio of slow bowlers, and gradually the run rate was slowed so that at the halfway point the total was 90-2, with Pietersen on 31 and Owais Shah 13.
Spellbinding: Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe enjoyed Pietersen's innings
Shah swept boundaries off Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi, before Pietersen also went on the sweep, hitting Afridi for his second six.
Aamer swapped ends but was pummelled high over long-on for six by Shah, and carved over wide mid-off by Pietersen for the fifth maximum of the England innings.
Though Shah eventually fell to Gul, England were sitting pretty on 152 with seven wickets in hand going into the last four overs, after Paul Collingwood had been dropped at deep square-leg.
But Ajmal removed both Collingwood and then Pietersen, both men testing the catchers with miscued shots that disappeared high into the twilight. This time they made no mistake.
The 19th over, bowled by Afridi, featured a pulled four by Mascarenhas and a terrific back-foot six over long-off from Foster.
Gul speared in an admirable series of yorkers for the final set of six, but, courtesy of two overthrows and yet another dropped catch, Foster and Mascarenhas scrambled eight more precious runs.
Sharp: Shoaib Malik took a fine catch at point to dismiss Bopara
Pakistan exited the six-over powerplay in a parlous state on 46-3, after Broad had picked up two wickets from as many deliveries - Mascarenhas getting it all going by removing Ahmed Shehzad.
The Super 8's
Group 1
England
India
South Africa
West Indies
Group 2
Ireland
Pakistan
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Top two teams from each group progress to the Semi-Finals
The two crippling blows were those inflicted on Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt, who top-edged into the safe hands of Wright and Bopara respectably.
With the scorecard showing 46-3, it was time for England's two spinners to come into the contest, and keep the home side on top.
They did precisely that, bowling tightly against the talented duo of Younus and Malik, and when the required run rate reached 12 an over, Wright was brought into the attack.
He responded to the challenge well, immediately removing Malik who edged a catch behind.
Afridi was next to the crease, and Pakistan's last hope was a vintage display of six-hitting from him, something that has become a rarity. It did not come off, Swann having him comfortably caught at long-on.
One of the most boisterous crowds ever seen at a match in England began to relax, the sizeable Pakistan-supporting contingent now resigned to defeat.
And when Misbah-ul-Haq gave substitute fielder Morgan his second catch, some began heading to the turnstiles.
Broad returned to take the last wicket of the night, and England go through on the basis that they end the group phase with two points and a positive run rate.
Query: Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood challenge Billy Doctrove after a harsh wide is awarded against Luke Wright
OUT!: a backpedalling Collingwood catches Ahmed Shehzad
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
Their biggest rivals, the Australians, laughed and cheered in their hotel when England suffered the shock loss, but the fact that Australia have subsequently gone on to lose to both the West Indies and Sri Lanka and are out of the tournament at the first Group Stage, whilst England are through to the Super 8's, means it is the English who are having the last laugh.
The Aussies have to stay in England, though, with the Ashes Series against England coming up in a month. Their captain Ricky Ponting apparently couldn't face spending another month in Leicester. You'll just have to put up with it, Sheila!
On Sunday, the team was revitalised, destroying Pakistan by 5 wickets in their second Group B match in front of England fan Daniel Radcliffe.
England were helped by the return of Kevin Pietersen, who smashed the ball all over the ground.
England's total of 185 for 5 meant that Pakistan needed 186 runs to win.
But they couldn't cope with England's bowlers, the ball bouncing in front of the batsmen in a way that would make Barnes Wallis proud.
Pakistan, though, are also through to the Super 8's having beaten Holland yesterday. All three teams - England, Pakistan, Holland - finished level on points, but Holland go out due to inferior Run Rate.
Up next for England, the tournament hosts, are South Africa in the Super 8's.
By Oliver Brett
BBC Sport at The Oval
World Twenty20 - Group B
England: 185-5
Pakistan: 137-7
England win by 48 runs
At The Oval, London.
England: Bopara, L Wright, Pietersen, O Shah, Collingwood (C), Mascarenhas, J Foster (W), Rashid, Swann, Broad, Anderson
Pakistan: Salman Butt, Shehzad, Kamran Akmal (W), Younis Khan (C), Misbah, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Arafat, Umar Gul, Aamer, Saeed Ajmal
Fetch that: The maginificent Kevin Pietersen slogs England to victory over Pakistan
Photo: AP
England bounced back from their ignominious loss to the Netherlands with a 48-run win over Pakistan which guarantees their progress into the Super Eight phase of the ICC World Twenty20.
Vitally, Kevin Pietersen was passed fit to play despite his on-off Achilles difficulties and contributed a typically bombastic 58 off 38 balls with three sixes.
With all seven of England's required batsmen contributing boundaries, the hosts reached a total of 185-5. The target was by no means ungettable, but it was tough enough for Pakistan, who had entered the tournament with no great form behind them.
Younus Khan hit 46 not out of 31 balls, but his team finished limply on 137-7.
Too close for comfort: England's Ravi Bopara slides over the crease to narrowly avoid being run out
England outplayed Pakistan in every department, perhaps most noticeably in their fielding. Whereas their opponents dropped four catches and squandered runs through misfields and overthrows, England's performance in that area was almost flawless.
Ravi Bopara dropped an easy catch late in the day, but only because he had been dazzled by the excellent floodlights.
As for England's bowlers, all held their nerve admirably, despite some strict interpretation of the wide law by the umpires. Stuart Broad, in some people's eyes the villain of the piece at Lord's, was the pick with 3-17 from three hostile and accurate overs.
Pietersen replaced Rob Key, but England also dropped Eoin Morgan and Ryan Sidebottom from the team humbled by the Netherlands on Friday.
Going big: Kevin Pietersen sweeps for six
Graeme Swann and Dimitri Mascarenhas came into a team featuring 10 players who had bowled in international cricket before. With Adil Rashid retained, to some raised eyebrows, that meant England had two specialist spinners.
But it was England's batsmen, criticised for their conservative approach against the Dutch, who were the first to go under the microscope after Younus had won the toss.
Bopara, England's form player across all formats of the game, got England under way with a cut over point's head for four, but the second delivery of Mohammed Aamer's international career did for him.
Left-arm seamer Aamer, who has just turned 17, persuaded Bopara to spear a catch to backward point where Shoaib Malik took a good catch at head height, a couple of yards to his left.
Pietersen's return gave the entire England team a lift
England were in a bit of a pickle at 18-1 off 3.3 overs, whereupon Luke Wright cut loose in impressive fashion.
Aamer was hit over mid-off, pulled into the stands and edged past the wicketkeeper for 14 runs in three shots, before the batsman was the beneficiary of some appalling fielding by Umar Gul at third man, who let a ball trickle through his legs for four.
The next over, bowled by Yasir Arafat, was the one in which Pietersen went from first gear to overdrive, marmalising a chest-high full toss for four and smashing the next ball high into the pavilion.
That over cost 21, but Pakistan came back in the next, Gul flattening Wright's off-stump with a yorker. The Sussex man had made 34 from 16 balls, absolutely justifying his position.
Out came Pakistan's trio of slow bowlers, and gradually the run rate was slowed so that at the halfway point the total was 90-2, with Pietersen on 31 and Owais Shah 13.
Spellbinding: Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe enjoyed Pietersen's innings
Shah swept boundaries off Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi, before Pietersen also went on the sweep, hitting Afridi for his second six.
Aamer swapped ends but was pummelled high over long-on for six by Shah, and carved over wide mid-off by Pietersen for the fifth maximum of the England innings.
Though Shah eventually fell to Gul, England were sitting pretty on 152 with seven wickets in hand going into the last four overs, after Paul Collingwood had been dropped at deep square-leg.
But Ajmal removed both Collingwood and then Pietersen, both men testing the catchers with miscued shots that disappeared high into the twilight. This time they made no mistake.
The 19th over, bowled by Afridi, featured a pulled four by Mascarenhas and a terrific back-foot six over long-off from Foster.
Gul speared in an admirable series of yorkers for the final set of six, but, courtesy of two overthrows and yet another dropped catch, Foster and Mascarenhas scrambled eight more precious runs.
Sharp: Shoaib Malik took a fine catch at point to dismiss Bopara
Pakistan exited the six-over powerplay in a parlous state on 46-3, after Broad had picked up two wickets from as many deliveries - Mascarenhas getting it all going by removing Ahmed Shehzad.
The Super 8's
Group 1
England
India
South Africa
West Indies
Group 2
Ireland
Pakistan
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Top two teams from each group progress to the Semi-Finals
The two crippling blows were those inflicted on Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt, who top-edged into the safe hands of Wright and Bopara respectably.
With the scorecard showing 46-3, it was time for England's two spinners to come into the contest, and keep the home side on top.
They did precisely that, bowling tightly against the talented duo of Younus and Malik, and when the required run rate reached 12 an over, Wright was brought into the attack.
He responded to the challenge well, immediately removing Malik who edged a catch behind.
Afridi was next to the crease, and Pakistan's last hope was a vintage display of six-hitting from him, something that has become a rarity. It did not come off, Swann having him comfortably caught at long-on.
One of the most boisterous crowds ever seen at a match in England began to relax, the sizeable Pakistan-supporting contingent now resigned to defeat.
And when Misbah-ul-Haq gave substitute fielder Morgan his second catch, some began heading to the turnstiles.
Broad returned to take the last wicket of the night, and England go through on the basis that they end the group phase with two points and a positive run rate.
Query: Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood challenge Billy Doctrove after a harsh wide is awarded against Luke Wright
OUT!: a backpedalling Collingwood catches Ahmed Shehzad
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
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