Pakistan pulled off a sensational 72-run victory and 2-0 series win over England as the tourists crashed to an embarrassing 72 all out on day four of the second Test in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

With a relatively small victory target of 145 to reach after bowling Pakistan out for 214, thanks to a six-wicket haul by Monty Panesar, England looked set to easily pick off the runs, but they did not account for the spin twins of Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman wreaking havoc on their batting line-up.

The chase started at a pedestrian pace with Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss laboring to 21 without loss off 14 overs. It was at that point when the match turned in favour of Pakistan as Cook (seven) handed Mohammed Hafeez a simple return catch off the leading edge, triggering the collapse.

Ian Bell (three) came in at number three as an ill Jonathan Trott was given time to recuperate, but Bell was sent back when Saeed Ajmal made a mess of his stumps before Kevin Pietersen (one) was trapped lbw by Abdur Rehman. The former England captain reviewed his dismissal, but the third umpire saw no reason to overturn the decision.

With the tea break looming there was still no sign of Trott, and Eoin Morgan could only last two balls as he was bowled by Morgan leaving England on 39 for four with Matt Prior and Strauss at the crease.

The skipper, however, committed a cardinal sin on the spinning pitch by playing back to Rehman and he was trapped plumb in front. Trott suffered the same fate after scoring a single, while Stuart Broad could only last two balls as he too was bowled by Rehman.

At the other end Graeme Swann was trapped in front by Ajmal, also playing back to a spinning delivery, and with no more reviews remaining he had to walk. Prior offered some resistance with his 18, but chipped a catch to cover and became Ajmal's 100th Test victim in the process.

Rehman was then elevated to hero status as he finished the innings off with career-best figures of six for 25. Anderson was last man out as he tried to hit his way out of the situation, but was caught in the deep by Umar Gul to spark wild celebrations among Pakistan players and fans.

Earlier in the day, the partnership of Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq threatened to help build a healthy Pakistan lead as they began Saturday on 125 for four. However, they were only able to push on to 142 when Shafiq (43) edged Monty Panesar (four for 59) to Anderson in the slips.

Ali (68) meanwhile was able to reach his 13th Test fifty, but as has been so often the case in his career, the right-hander struggled to reach the three-figure mark as he was found wanting in the 60s.

With Pakistan on 160 for five Ali was hit on the knee roll by Swann and given out by umpire Steve Davis. However, he elected to review the decision and was given the lifeline as Hawkeye showed the ball to be missing leg stump.

The Umpire Decision Review System, however, couldn't help him when he faced Anderson with the new ball. The England quick put one on a good length which found the top edge of Ali's bat and flew into the gloves of Matt Prior.

Adnan Akmal then fell the very next over as he nicked Stuart Broad to Strauss, leaving Pakistan reeling at 172 for seven at lunch, and after the break Rehman soon became a Swann lbw victim before Panesar claimed his fifth and sixth wickets to wrap up the innings.

Ajmal was caught by Anderson at slip for a valuable 17 before Junaid Khan failed to keep his defences up as Panesar snuck one through the gate and Pakistan were all out 214, a lead of 144 which ultimately proved more than enough.