Pakistan was beaten by five wickets in the first T-20 International against World Champion England at Sophia Gardens here on Sunday.

England, set a seemingly modest 127 for victory, collapsed to 62 for five at one stage. But left-handers Eoin Morgan (38 not out) and Michael Yardy (35 not out) saw England to 129 for five with an unbroken partnership of 67 as it won with 17 balls to spare.

Victory, in its first match in this format since the World T20 final in Barbados, put England 1-0 up in the two-match series ahead of the second on Tuesday. Off-spinner Graeme Swann led England’s attack with two wickets for 14 runs with Yardy returned figures of one for 21. It meant England’s eight overs of spin yielded three wickets for just 35 runs.

Pakistan found runs hard to come by after losing the toss and only managed eight boundaries in its innings.

The England batsmen too stuttered. Ravi Bopara, in for the dropped Kevin Pietersen, began the slide when he was well caught by Mohammad Yousuf, running back from mid-on, off fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. Captain Shahid Afridi then had a wicket in his first over with a quick leg-spinner that opposing captain Paul Collingwood could only edge onto his stumps.

Steven Davies made 33 at better than a run-a-ball before whipping seamer Umar Gul off his pads straight to Wahab Riaz.

Scoreboard

Pakistan: K. Akmal c Yardy b Bresnan 6, S. Hasan st Davies b Swann 21, M. Yousuf c Morgan b Swann 26, F. Alam c & b Yardy 20, U. Akmal (not out) 35, S. Afridi (not out) 16; Extras (lb-1, w-1): 2. Total (for four wkts., in 20 overs): 126.

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-50, 3-56, 4-88.

England bowling: Sidebottom 4-0-32-0, Bresnan 3-0-18-1, Broad 4-0-32-0, Swann 4-0-14-2, Yardy 4-0-21-1, Collingwood 1-0-8-0.

England: C. Kieswetter c K. Akmal b Akhtar 6, S. Davies c Riaz b Gul 33, R. Bopara c Yousuf b Akhtar 11, P. Collingwood b Afridi 4, E. Morgan (not out) 38, L. Wright b Afridi 0, M. Yardy (not out) 35; Extras (lb-1, w-1): 2. Total (for five wkts., in 17.1 overs): 129.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-42, 3-55, 4-57, 5-62.

Pakistan bowling: Razzaq 2-0-20-0, Akhtar 4-1-23-2, Riaz 2-0-11-0, Afridi 4-0-27-2, Gul 2.1-0-17-1, Ajmal 3-0-30-0.