Kevin Pietersen's matchwinning 130 was the best, as well as highest, one-day international innings he has played to date.

That fair assessment came from the man himself, after he had underpinned England's pursuit of 237 all out against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to ensure a 4-0 series whitewash.

England's reward is a degree of consolation for their Test hammering against Pakistan here, and a move above their opponents into fourth in the International Cricket Council rankings.

For Pietersen, there is satisfaction on a personal and collective level for a performance which saw England home with four balls and four wickets to spare.

England were, for once, minus Alastair Cook very early - and Pietersen responded with a world-class innings, for his second successive century at this venue with a nerveless display of skill against a spin-dominated attack.

From 68 for four in the 16th over, and for the remainder of England's run chase, his permanence was the only realistic chance of success.

Craig Kieswetter lent admirable support in a century stand for the fifth wicket - but for 49 overs, England would have been sunk without Pietersen.

Comparing his 153-ball contribution with all his other ODI innings, he said: "I'm allowed to say it was probably the best one I've played."

Pietersen's chief attributes were that, in stark contrast to his struggles in the Test series, he almost unerringly got bat and ball - and he always looked in control of a tough situation.

"I like to really calm things down and just watch the ball, and play it," he added.

"I thought that the total they had, if I batted for 50 overs and took the game deep and batted with a bit of experience, we could come close.

"I just wanted to take the game deep, and I wanted to target bowlers as well.

"I think that was the key to the success."

Targeted as much as any, although he finished with three wickets, was off-spinner Saeed Ajmal - the scourge of Pietersen and others in those Test defeats.

Self-belief was perhaps Pietersen's biggest ally against four frontline spin bowlers.

"You need experience, lots of it, in order to keep the situation very simple - and back your ability," he said.

"You need a lot of confidence in your ability.

"When they picked the team and I saw they were going to bowl 40 overs of spin, I was like 'Oh no!'

"But the hard work I've been putting in with Mushy [spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed] has paid off.

"I've spent hours and hours with him. I came in early today, early the other day.

"I'm not the finished article, by any stretch of the imagination.

"But wow, today I thoroughly enjoyed it."

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq must come to terms with an unexpected setback, just as England had to after their Test disappointments.

"England have improved, and really batted well since the Test series. They've started playing the spinners well," he said.

"The contribution from the batsmen at the top was remarkable, to get four centuries. That's the main difference between the two teams.

"But Pakistan dropped their performance. In the Test matches, England hardly got 200 in six innings."

Cook and Pietersen shared those four hundreds.

It transpired that England's ODI captain is to be retained, as cover for Ravi Bopara - who has a sore back - for three Twenty20s, starting on Thursday.

Misbah would rather England had stuck to their initial plan, and sent Cook home.

"He's their in-form batsman, so he's a bit of a concern for us," he said.

"Today we got him out early, and England were under a lot of pressure - even chasing a small total - and Pietersen helped them to just get home."