Misbah warns Pakistan need improvement to tackle England

KARACHI: Even as Pakistan set their minds on the crucial third Test against England at Edgbaston next week, Misbah-ul-Haq remains concerned about the way his team crumbled at Old Trafford.

Pakistan’s captain is really concerned and has due reasons for it. After conquering England in the first Test at Lord’s the visitors exposed their soft underbelly and were massacred by Alistair Cook and Company in the second Test.

With both teams looking for a 2-1 lead in Birmingham going into next month’s fourth and last Test at The Oval, Misbah is urging his troops to show massive improvement.

Soon after England thrashed Pakistan by 330 runs in the second Test on Monday, Misbah warned that his players “need to improve in every department” if they are to compete with the hosts in the last two Tests.

Misbah was of the view that England were helped by the fact that their captain won the important toss but he conceded that Pakistan’s batters and bowlers gave a below-par showing in the Test.

“We were below average and need to improve in every department,” Misbah told reporters in Manchester. “We could not really build the pressure and we let them score a massive total in the first innings. It is difficult to come back in the game facing 600. The toss was vital on that pitch, but England played really well. Alastair Cook and Root almost took the game away from us. They set the tone.

“That was the difference from Lord’s. At Lord’s, Root was out cheaply in both innings and we got Cook out cheaply in the second innings. Then they struggled. Root and Cook are their main players. They really depend on them - the others are struggling - but the way Root played in this game… it was an amazing innings.

“But our batting was a big disappointment. It was a good pitch to bat on but we scored 198 and 234. You can’t take that. On that pitch you can score 350 plus even if you are batting second or fourth. Some of the batsmen are getting in, but not converting their starts. We really need them to do that.”

Misbah also highlighted the presence of two or three allrounders in England’s side and the absence of any from his as a key difference. While England are able to include five bowlers without weakening their batting, Pakistan were required to place a heavy load on the shoulders of their four bowlers. They remain desperate for Mohammad Hafeez to resume bowling again soon, with Misbah suggesting it could have made a big difference on this surface.

“Hafeez is not bowling,” Misbah said. “But on a pitch like that, it could have made a difference. Especially with the opposition having four or five left-handers in their side. They have a lot of allrounders. That really gives them strength. We don’t have the option of a fifth bowler. That’s the limitation we have. But this is how we have to live at the moment.”

Misbah also defended Yasir Shah after a chastening performance. Having gone into the Old Trafford Test as the recently installed No. 1 bowler in the ICC Test rankings, Yasir claimed match figures of 1 for 266 from 63 overs in Manchester, a far cry from his 10-wicket performance at Lord’s.

“Maybe there was a bit of tiredness after he bowled a lot of overs in the previous Test,” Misbah said. “But there was a big difference in this match compared to the previous one. He could not really bowl with that control and consistency.

“They played him well. And there wasn’t much help for him from the surface on the first two days. They were two good players facing him and it is totally different when there are runs on the board. It creates pressure. But we know he is a strong character and before the next Test he will definitely analyse what went wrong.”