3-0 rout over England is a big achievement: Misbah

Captain Misbah-ul Haq believes routing World No 1u00a0 England 3-0 will be a big achievement but stressed his team will not take that extra pressure into the third and final Test starting here today.


Misbah-ul Haq

No team has ever registered a clean sweep in the 58 years of Pakistan-England cricket and Misbah's team has a good chance of creating history after their comprehensive ten-wicket win in the first Test and by 72 runs in the second.

England, who will also be in danger of losing their world's top rankings if they lose here, will have to find a quick solution to counter Pakistani spinners Saeed Ajmal (17 wickets) and left-armer Abdul Rehman who has 12 in two matches. Misbah said Pakistan will look for an encore in the third Test.

"It will be a big achievement for the team (winning 3-0)," said Misbah of the clean sweep which Pakistan last achieved against Bangladesh at home in 2003.

"The way the team is performing with consistency, if we play well like we did in the first two games good results will come but we will not take that extra pressure (of clean sweep)," said 37-year-old Misbah. According to Misbah, England were still a good team and winning the last Test will not be easy.

England captain Andrew Strauss admitted the key would be countering Pakistan's spinners. "That's one of the crucial things about playing spin, you have to adapt your game according to the surfaces you play on. I am very optimistic," said Strauss.