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DUABI: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq heaped praise on England for their superb comeback to clinch the one-day series after being routed in the preceding Tests, saying they showed character and discipline and the neutral venue may have contributed towards Pakistan's performance in the one-day international.
England thumped Pakistan by nine wickets in the third match here on Saturday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead, leaving the fourth and final match here on Tuesday as inconsequential.
Misbah, who lost his first one-day series as captain after four wins, said England were the better side.
“It's not a nice feeling to lose,” Misbah said after the match.
“We need to give credit to England for the way they have come back after defeat in Tests. I feel they have played much better cricket than us and were very disciplined.”
Steven Finn with 3-24 and Stuart Broad 3-42 helped England restrict Pakistan to 222 depite aggressive half-centuries from Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal.
England then chased down the target in 37.2 overs with Kevin Pietersen ending his 36 innings century drought with an unbeaten 111 and Alastair Cook scoring 80 – narrowly missing a third consecutive hundred in successive matches.
Misbah said England attained world number one ranking in Tests through consistent performance.
“We expected they will come back any time and they showed they learnt from their mistakes in Tests,” said Misbah, who noted that playing away from home could be a factor in the team's lackluster performance.
“I feel the fact that we are playing away from home can be a factor. Sometime you feel home sickness. It is not that I'm giving an excuse on this matter but it happens when you are not playing at home,” said Misbah.
Pakistan have been forced to play its home series on neutral venues as teams refuse to tour them over secuirty fears.
They have not hosted international cricket since terrorists attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore three years ago.
PIETERSEN, COOK RELISH WIN
Pietersen and Cook showed great delight in England’s win, saying a win in sub-continent like conditions was amazing. Pietersen said England's win was brilliant besides his hundred.
“It's nice to get a hundred after a long time and three nil up also is a brilliant, brilliant result for us,” said Pietersen.
“We got hammered in India,” said Pietersen of a 5-0 defeat in India last year. “Sub-continent tours are not very easy for us and to be three nil up makes everyone happy.”
Pietersen, who flopped as batsman in the preceding 3-0 Test defeat with only 67 runs, said his opening the innings with Cook has worked well.
“Look we sat down in a team meeting and talked about opening and we said that when we play in the sub-continent we are generally two three down very early and in order to be successful in ODIs you can't afford to lose early wickets.
“Cook is turning out to be a very good one-day cricketer. His technique in Test cricket is sensational and he is doing well in one-day cricket as well so the partnership is good.”
Pietersen denied he has to prove his critics wrong.
“No I don't have to prove a point, I just want to enjoy my career. I understand critisicm. If I am not playing well, criticise me. I don't mind. I have become very thick skinned I don't have to prove any points.
“I want to enjoy myself and enjoy cricket and I want us to win. I told a press conference nearly 18 months ago when we won the World Twenty20 and went to Australia and won the Ashes that was the most important and I don't need to prove any more points.”
Cook, who took over as one-day captain last year, said a one-day win was great after being crushed in the Tests.
“We talked about our disappointment from the Test series. It shows a lot of character from our sides to turn that around. When we lose three Tests in a row it is tough. You could feel right to be feeling down on yourself.
“The lads have shown tremendous character in picking themselves up to face the challenge and delivering out in the middle. I think everyone has played a crucial part at some stage in the three games. It is very satisfying victory for us.
“That doesn't mean we have achieved everthing, but we have certainly made the right step forward in playing in these conditions.”
Both teams also play three Twenty20 after one-day.
