Samit Patel believes England have sent out a statement of intent to Pakistan, by beating them so emphatically in the first one-day international.
England, previously without an international win this year after three Test defeats against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, badly needed to prove themselves worthy opponents on Monday.
They did more than that, as captain Alastair Cook contributed a career-best 137 in a total of 260 for seven - and then Steven Finn obliterated Pakistan's top order on the way to his outstanding ODI performance to date, taking four for 34.
Patel did his bit as well, with an unbeaten 17 from only 12 balls and then figures of three for 26 in five overs of left-arm spin.
The upshot was victory by 130 runs, to go 1-0 up in a four-match series which resumes back at the Zayed Stadium on Wednesday.
"It was a bit of a statement really," said Patel.
"Finny bowled outstandingly well up front to knock over Pakistan's top order, and obviously 'Chef' [Cook] did his stuff at the start.
"That's brilliant, setting a platform of 100 plus with Ravi (Bopara) - that was a great effort."
TeamsEngland (from): AN Cook (capt), KP Pietersen, IJL Trott, RS Bopara, EJG Morgan, C Kieswetter (wkt), SR Patel, SCJ Broad, GP Swann, ST Finn, JM Anderson, TT Bresnan, JW Dernbach
Pakistan (from):
Umpires: K Dharmasena (SL) and A Dar (Pak)
Third umpire: S Taufel (Aus)
Match referee: J Crowe (NZ)
