FATULLAH – England’s Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood finally found some much-needed form as Pakistan were brushed aside by 67 runs in the final warm-up before the Cricket World Cup starts on Saturday. Pietersen, in an unaccustomed role as opener, hit 66 from 78 balls and Collingwood chipped in with 65 as England were all out for 273 on Friday.
Pakistan struggled early in response with Stuart Broad again England’s spearhead with the ball, taking care of the top four batsmen in the order. Broad, who rejoined the England party after missing much of the Australian tour with an abdominal injury, finished with 5-25 including the key scalp of Younis Khan, caught behind for 80. Pakistan were all out for 206 in the 47th over.
Collingwood shone with the ball too with his medium-pace seamers, grabbing 3-48. The Pakistan all-rounder and captain Shahid Afridi did not play. The teams met last year in a controversial tour in England in which three Pakistan players including then captain Salman Butt were later found to have been involved in fixing parts of a test match. They each received five-year bans.
England begin their Cup campaign proper on Tuesday against Netherlands in Nagpur, India, and Pakistan start theirs a day later in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, against Kenya.
