Pakistan v England first T20 international: Umar Gul loosens tourists' grip on opening game to secure victory Their team responded with a gutsy performance twice saving themselves from perilous positions. With the bat, Shoaib Malik and Misbah ul Haq steadied nerves at 73 for five to add 71 crucial runs to post a competitive total. With the ball, Gul and Saeed Ajmal proved a combination too powerful for England's inexperienced lower order conceding only 13 in the crucial overs 15 to 19. England had started their innings confidently. With Alastair Cook left out of the side, Kevin Pietersen took on the role of leader with the bat and he played on a different plane to everyone else. He stroked four fours and a straight six off Shahid Afridi but fell trying to clear the ropes again when he was caught at deep midwicket. Eoin Morgan again scratched around leaving Bopara to manage the run chase but even he struggled for fluidity despite taking 14 off a Junaid Khan over which appeared to set the team on the road to victory. After Bopara's dismissal Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler faced the arduous task of batting against Gul and Ajmal with the pressure on. Buttler fell trying to flick Gul over fine leg and Samit Patel was out next ball lbw to a fast and full delivery. Ajmal's doosras and Gul's inswinging yorkers were too much for Bairstow who failed to hit a four from the 21 balls he faced, but England will hope he learned from the exposure gained playing international cricket in such a tight corner. The Pakistan innings had been squeezed by Graeme Swann's three for 13 and they had as much difficulty reading Jade Dernbach's slower balls as England have endured trying to pick Ajmal. The heavy traffic signalling the start of the Dubai weekend meant many supporters were not in the ground as Awais Zia, the debutant Pakistan opening batsman, gave the match a rollicking start by taking on Steven Finn, the best bowler in the one-day series. He tried and failed to smash his first ball in international cricket for six , hit his third for four over mid off and pulled Finn in his second over for six. Finn was furious as his first two overs cost 23. But he was also clever, dismissing Zia with a slower ball. Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq appeared comfortable until the ninth over when England regained control as Pakistan slumped 68 for one to 73 for five. Shafiq was given out run out by Swann, a close call which changed the complexion of the innings. Swann picked up a throw at the bowlers" end and in trying to flick it back to the stumps, his elbow knocked off the bails. The laws state the arm of the hand holding the ball up to the shoulder is considered "live" and Shafiq was out, although he looked stunned when the news came up on the big screen. Two balls later Hafeez swept to the man at deep midwicket and in his next over Swann picked up a double wicket maiden.