England gave their hopes of qualifying from the Super Eights stage of the ICC World Twenty20 a massive boost with a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in Barbados.

Kicking off the second round of matches, England produced an impressive all-round display to stun the defending champions.

After winning the toss and inserting Pakistan, tight bowling and top quality fielding reduced Shahid Afridi's men to a below-par 147-9 in their 20 over allocation.

Kevin Pietersen, often criticised for his catching ability, took arguably the catch of the tournament before batting England to a much-need victory.

The classy right-hander smashed eight fours and two sixes as his unbeaten 70 saw England pick up a valuable two points with three balls to spare.

Michael Lumb whipped the first ball of the chase to the square-leg fence, however opening partner Craig Kieswetter should have been sent packing the same over when he was put down by Saeed Ajmal at mid-on.

While the England gloveman continued to ride his luck, Lumb looked far more comfortable, launching Mohammed Asif over the midwicket fence in the fourth over.

That same over cost 19 after back-to-back boundaries from Kieswetter and Pakistan heads began to drop.

And if they were low, they were practically touching the floor when Ajmal grassed another straightforward chance, presented to him by Lumb in the fifth over.

But the canny off-spinner made amends immediately, luring Lumb (25 off 13 balls) down the pitch with Kamran Akmal whipping off the bails in the blink of an eye.

Kevin Pietersen replaced Lumb and kept England up with the required rate, however Kieswetter perished for an unconvincing 25 when holing out to Umar Akmal off the bowling of Razzaq.

Collingwood and Pietersen came together in the ninth over with the score on 65-2 and the experienced duo wasted little time batting England into a winning position.

Pietersen, given a life on 21 when Razzaq put a sharp return chance down, cashed in with an array of powerful boundaries and a straight six off Ajmal which was given a helping hand by Fawad Alam.

He brought up his fifth Twenty20 international 50 off 38 balls with a wonderful straight six off a full spearing Afridi delivery.

Collingwood (16 off 15) fell attempting to replicate his partner, but by that time England needed just 23 for victory with four overs remaining.

Eoin Morgan (7) also fell to Ajmal, leaving Pietersen to finish the job, cracking four further boundaries to see England over the line.

After being inserted by Collingwood earlier in the day, Pakistan put immediate pressure on Ryan Sidebottom - included once again at the expense of James Anderson - when opener Kamran Akmal hooked the first ball of the match over the rope for six.

The boundaries continued to flow as England's seamers opted for a short length on the bouncy Barbados track.

Their tactic was eventually rewarded in the fifth over when Stuart Broad (2-25) found the top-edge of Akmal's bat and Kieswetter pouched comfortably behind the wicket.

Fellow opener Butt kept the scoreboard ticking, launching Collingwood for an almighty six over midwicket off the final ball of his first over.

But, just as the left-hander began to kick on, he only succeeded in fizzing a cover drive to the England captain off the bowling of Graeme Swann the following over.

In danger of undoing their fine start, Pakistan pressed the self-destruct button in the 11th over as they slipped to 77-4 with the loss of Mohammed Hafeez and Afridi in successive balls.

Hafeez slashed a flat Michael Yardy (2-19) delivery to Broad at short third-man and captain Afridi inexplicably ran himself out to leave the defending champions in a spot of bother.

Misbah-ul-Haq capitalised on a Broad free-hit with a straight six, but he too fell foul to the trajectory of Yardy and was clean bowled attempting an unconvincing reverse sweep for 13.

Sidebottom then returned to claim the wicket of Umar Akmal (30 off 25 balls) in the 17th over, the powerful Pakistan batsman sent on his way courtesy of a brilliant boundary catch taken by Pietersen over his shoulder.

Wickets continued to fall, Fawad Alam snicking off to Broad in the next over and Abdul Razzak following soon after.

Tim Bresnan (1-36) bowled the final over, which cost 15 and included the wicket of Mohammed Aamer, but thankfully for England the 147-9 target caused few problems.