England entered into a Super 8

England booked their place in the second round Super Eights of the ICC World Twenty20 with a 48-run win over Pakistan at the Oval on Sunday.

The hosts, 48 hours after their shock four-wicket loss to the Netherlands, bounced back to record a win which, because their net run-rate was now superior to that of the Dutch, ensured their progress in the tournament.

Pakistan, finalists at the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago, now face a make or break Group B clash against the Netherlands at Lord’s on Tuesday.

Kevin Pietersen came back from an Achilles injury to lead England to a total of 185 for five with 58 after missing Friday’s Dutch debacle at Lord’s.

Pakistan, chasing 186 for victory, saw Stuart Broad take two wickets in as many balls to reduce them to 41 for three at the end of the six-over powerplay.

Kamran Akmal holed out to Luke Wright at deep mid-wicket before opener Salman Butt exited for 28.Pace bowler Broad led England’s attack with three for 17 from three overs.At the 10-over half-way stage Pakistan were well behind the required run-rate at 63 for three.And by the time the hard-hitting Shahid Afridi reached the crease they were 87 for four in the 13th over.

Afridi could only manage five before he skied off-spinner Graeme Swann to substitute fielder and former Irish cricketing star Eoin Morgan in the deep.

Pakistan’s innings petered out as they finished on 137 for seven with captain Younis Khan stranded on 46 not out.Earlier, South Africa born shotmaker Pietersen faced 38 balls with three sixes and five fours before he was caught at short third man by Umar Gul off Saeed Ajmal.Spin bowler Ajmal had dropped a caught and bowled chance when Pietersen was on 30.

Pakistan made an early breakthrough after Younis won the toss.

Teenager Mohammad Aamir, a left-arm quick like his boyhood hero Wasim Akram, marked his international debut by removing Ravi Bopara but it needed a superb catch at backward point by Shoaib Malik to leave England nine for one.

Opener Luke Wright, who struck England’s first six of the tournament, a pull off the 17-year-old Aamir, kept the run-rate high in the overcast conditions by striking five fours in as many balls faced.But a stand of 53 was ended when Umar Gul yorked Wright for 34.

Andrew Symonds not play in the T20, sent back home

Australia’s bad boy Andrew Symonds will not play in the T20 World Cup. Symond is being sent back due to an ‘alcohol-related incident’. Symonds missed the team practice at the Oval earlier today (June 4) and initial reports suggested that the player has been pulled up on disciplinary grounds.

Symond’s sacking from the squad is surely going to send Australia’s plans into disarray ahead of the World Cup starting Friday (June 6). The all-rounder has a history of getting into trouble with Cricket Australia who also sent the player into rehabilitation earlier this year. This latest incident has certainly put questionmarks on Symo’s career.

England back to form

England captain Paul Collingwood said the hosts could compete without the all-rounder.

Flintoff was named two-weeks ago in a 15-man squad for the tournament despite still recovering from knee surgery which cut short his involvement in the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League.

The Lancashire hero has since been ruled out of the ongoing two-Test series against the West Indies.

It had been hoped the hard-hitting batsman and aggressive pace bowler would be fit in time for the World Twenty20 and the Ashes, which follow on in July.

However, the 31-year-old Flintoff told Sky Sports on Friday he’d yet to start running again following the latest bout of surgery in his injury-plagued career.

“I’d love to play in the Twenty20 – but that might be too tight,” he said. “I had an operation two weeks ago and I’m already off my crutches. The Ashes are a long way off – and I’ll be fine for them.”

Collingwood, who saw the second day of the second and final Test against the West Indies at his Durham home ground washed out without a ball being bowled, said England would just have to wait and see regarding Flintoff’s fitness for the World Twenty20, which starts on June 5.

“I think we’re still waiting on how his fitness will be over the next couple of weeks,” said Collingwood. It would obviously be a big blow if he’s not in it, but we’ll have to overcome it.”

Collingwood, appointed England Twenty20 skipper after Test and one-day captain Andrew Strauss said his game was not suited to cricket’s shortest international format, said of Flintoff: “He’s very much two players in one.