It's the taking part that matters as England end their long wait in Pakistan

Better late than never. Mohammad Rizwan punched a good-length ball from David Willey out to deep backward point and the sold-out crowd at Karachi's National Stadium cheered: 6,117 days after their last game in this country, England were playing in Pakistan again.

A bright debut from Luke Wood and Alex Hales' comeback half-century led them to a comfortable six-wicket victory in the first of seven T20 internationals in 13 days, but this was a night when the result felt secondary: Pakistan had been waiting for too long to be overly disheartened by one defeat.

England have been confined to their team hotel since they landed on Thursday but they have still felt the warmth and hospitality that their hosts have afforded them. Fans waved signs saying "Welcome England" and "Thank You England" while one man, wearing a Pakistan replica shirt, held one up reading: "I Came To Support England".

They have been afforded VVIP status and the presidential-style security that goes with it - plain-clothed bodyguards, helicopters flying over their convoy of bulletproof buses between the hotel and the ground, snipers on rooftops - at an eye-watering cost of around $5 million. No expense has been spared in the bid to keep England safe. "Every time I go to the toilet, there's somebody following me," Harry Brook joked on Sky after the match. "I've never had that before, but it's been good, it feels very secure over here and we're enjoying it."

The game took place exactly a year after the ECB's withdrawal from their scheduled whistle-stop tour ahead of the T20 World Cup, a decision which Ramiz Raja said had left the PCB feeling "binned and used" by cricket's "Western bloc". Christian Turner, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, clarified that the decision was taken by the board, not the government, and said that he shared "the deep sadness of cricket fans" about the cancellation.

Pakistan feared, with some justification, that in following New Zealand in pulling out at short notice, England had undone much of the progress that had been made since the Lahore attacks in 2009. Instead, after Australia's tour in March-April, they are in the midst of hosting their busiest year of cricket in a generation, with more to come after the World Cup.

Some players have felt uneasy about the scale of the resources poured into keeping them safe. "Sometimes you do feel bad," Moeen Ali said on Sunday. "You're here on tour, playing cricket and getting paid and there are people not far away who are struggling." The most common response would be that a successful tour will go a long way to helping change the perceptions of Pakistan, back home and beyond.

Both teams have been acutely aware of their responsibility to raise awareness and funds for the victims of the floods that have devastated Pakistan. England's players have made a significant donation, matched by the ECB, while the PCB donated gate receipts to the flood relief appeal. Pakistan wore special shirts with a flood effect covering the bottom half of players' names and numbers.

There was a minute's silence before the start of play, both for the victims of the flooding and Queen Elizabeth II, and a rousing rendition of Pakistan's national anthem. The crowd roared "Babar, Babar, Babar!" as their captain - under-fire from some parts of the media after an uncharacteristically quiet Asia Cup - walked out to bat.

Another huge cheer followed as he whipped his first ball past short midwicket for four, while Rizwan's first boundaries - a cut-pull sucker-punch off Willey - were greeted by roars and waving flags as the post-work crowd filtered through the various security checkpoints outside. They did not reserve their appreciation for Pakistan players, either, warmly applauding Brook's diving stop at cover.

England's players are used to playing in front of big crowds but the chance to play in front of a full house, under the lights, and for a fanbase that has been starved of international cricket for so long is not one that they have been taking lightly. Hales, returning to a venue he has frequented during his time in the PSL, said: "Karachi put on a show tonight".

In the early stages of the first innings, Hales ran past Wood at midwicket. "He said he couldn't believe the noise and the atmosphere," Hales said. "It's very special. I've played in front of full houses here in Karachi before and it's something different: it's one of the best atmospheres in world cricket.

"It's a place I've spent a lot of time over the last few years and it's a place that means a lot to me. I have some fantastic memories here, on and off the field, so to be part of an England tour - the first one in such a long time - is an incredibly special feeling."

The home fans were more subdued after the first 12 overs of Pakistan's innings, as their team added only 54 for 6 in the last eight. They briefly threatened to give England a scare in the chase but Naseem Shah's first ball - a wide half-volley pounded through the off side by Phil Salt - set the tone for an underwhelming performance with the ball.

By the time Brook - who was six years old when England last toured Pakistan - spanked the winning runs over extra cover, half of the crowd had filtered out through the exits to beat the traffic back into the city centre.

But as the ball flew to the boundary, those that remained cheered one last time. Forget the result: England being back in town was something to celebrate.