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Misbah: Must improve in all departments

Colombo - Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has lamented his side's poor performance in the second Test against England, saying they need to improve in 'all departments' if they want to win the series.

England won by 330 runs late on day four, having posted a target of 565 runs, which Pakistan were never in the frame of reaching. Misbah, who made 52 and 35 himself, pointed to Joe Root's double ton as a major factor.

He said that in the first match at Lord's, which Pakistan won, Root had bee kept quiet, but at Old Trafford the batsman was able to flourish, making 325 runs in the match, while Alastair Cook also did well with a century and half ton.

Misbah said: "We were below average and need to improve in every department. 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."

The third Test starts at Edgbaston on 3 August.

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