Misbah, Akmal complete clinical win

Pakistan 189 for 3 (Misbah 72*, Akmal 77) beat Sri Lanka 188 (Sangakkara 71, Tharanga 57, Cheema 4-43) by six wickets

	Aizaz Cheema came back well to pick up four wickets after getting pasted in his first two overs

Pakistan put one foot in the final of the Asia Cup with a six-wicket win over a tired Sri Lankan outfit, which did not have enough steam to defend a modest 188. Pakistan's bowlers set up the win with a disciplined effort, and Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal compiled positive half-centuries to arrest a top-order wobble. Their eagerly anticipated clash with India on Sunday may not carry much context for them if India beat Bangladesh tomorrow, but Sri Lanka's second consecutive defeat makes an India-Pakistan final likely.

The defeat left a few important questions for Sri Lanka to answer after a long, strenuous season away from home, where they have had mixed results. Their shot-selection for one, starting from the seniors at the top, has been exposed, leaving plenty for the lower middle-order to do. With Upul Tharanga scoring another half-century at No.6, it strengthens his case for being reinstated as an opener, meaning that Mahela Jayawardene would have to move back down the order.

The presence of Dilshan and Jayawardene at the top was aimed at giving Sri Lanka a strong start in a must-win game. They started aggressively today, but in their quest lost quick wickets. It was an underwhelming performance from a team that bats deep but did not have the application to match their talent.

Jayawardene fell trying to drive past extra cover. Dilshan, after some crunching drives through the off side, fell off a miscued pull. The wicket was nicely set up by Aizaz Cheema, who peppered him with short deliveries and challenged him to target the on side, with a fielder in the deep. Two more soft dismissals, those of the young Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne, put a lot of pressure on Kumar Sangakkara and Tharanga.

They suffered in the bowling Powerplay, scoring only 11 runs. Their stand of 96 featured several singles, 61 of them, and five boundaries. Tharanga was comfortable against the spinners, picking up boundaries through the off side via deft cuts. Sangakkara, who began with a clipped boundary past midwicket, pounced on a short delivery from Mohammad Hafeez to bring up the fifty stand.

Sri Lanka once again succumbed to a familiar weakness - the batting Powerplay. As it happened against India, they lost their foothold in the first over of the field restrictions. Saeed Ajmal was taken off after the bowling Powerplay but Misbah brought him back at the start of the 36th over. He struck by bowling Tharanga with the doosra, before inducing a poor shot from Farveez Maharoof. Sangakkara tried to force the pace by charging Cheema but ended up dragging the ball onto the stumps. His reaction after being dismissed, swishing the air with his bat, summed up Sri Lanka's problems.

Pakistan picked up the last six wickets for just 27 runs and it was largely due to Sri Lanka's inability to read Ajmal's doosra. Cheema went on to take four wickets while Ajmal took three. It was an especially satisfying display by Cheema, who got a pasting early on but backed himself to bowl fast and attack the batsmen.

A timid start by Pakistan, which included the loss of three wickets, gave Sri Lanka hope of defending a modest 188. Jayawardene, maintaining a stony expression, had plenty to expect from his beefed-up bowling attack, and they responded by trying to make life tough for the top order by bowling tight lines. Some committed ground fielding, especially by Dilshan, and catching lifted the spirits of the bowlers.

Jayawardene stuck to his tactic of constantly shuffling fielders in various close catching positions to create chances. The openers, Nasir Jamshed and Mohammad Hafeez, started watchfully but succumbed to tame dismissals, not very different in character to their counterparts. Jamshed holed out to mid-on before Hafeez scooped the legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna to point.

Younis Khan gifted Suranga Lakmal his second wicket with an exaggerated whip to Farveez Maharoof at mid-on, who timed his dive and caught the ball inches off the ground. At 33 for 3, Sri Lanka were in the game but three boundaries by Akmal off a Lasith Malinga over in the bowling Powerplay - all risk-free - calmed the nerves for Pakistan. Misbah was prepared to wait for the bad deliveries, driving Prasanna past the covers before launching him for a six over long-on.

The calmness of Misbah and exuberance of Akmal combined well to ensure that Pakistan crossed the finish line before the 40th over, which gained them a bonus point. Akmal was strong behind square on the on side, sweeping the spinners and paddling them away with the fine leg up. As the target shrunk, Sri Lanka appeared to throw in the towel. The fast bowlers failed to control the scoring, as Pakistan found the gaps with ease during the batting Powerplay.

Sri Lanka have a very slim chance of making the final, provided they beat Bangladesh convincingly, and India lose both their remaining games. A back-door entry, however, would not leave them satisfied.

ICL officials had their own 'agenda'

The man who was in charge of anti-corruption operations in the Indian Cricket League (ICL) has described how his investigations were "handicapped" by officials who had their own "agenda". Howard Beer, an Australian former homicide detective, was giving evidence on day three of Chris Cairns' libel claim against former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi in London's High Court.

Cairns, the retired New Zeland international, is suing Modi over a 2010 tweet that implicated in him match-fixing activity during his time as captain of the Chandigarh Lions in the ICL - claims which he vigorouslydenies. Cairns left Chandigarh after three games of the third edition of the ICL, with the official reason given as his failure to disclose an ankle injury.

Beer revealed that the suggestion Cairns was involved in match-fixing at the ICL was first put to him by Kiran More, the former India wicketkeeper and one of the league's executive directors. However, More would not reveal the source of his information, Beer said.

Although he was informed by More before the start of the third edition of the ICL that one team was suspected of corrupt activity, Beer was not initially told which team that was. After an incident in which a player with the Mumbai Champs, Hasan Raza, was alleged to have lied about a man seen entering his room, Beer was told by More not to investigate Raza further.

Asked by Andrew Caldecott QC, representing Cairns, whether he was "handicapped in carrying out a full investigation" into the Mumbai Champs incident, Beer said: "Yes".

The court heard that Beer was also told by More that he had information that the game between Mumbai Champs and Chandigarh Lions on 13 October, 2008 had been fixed. In separate interviews, conducted as part of Beer's investigations, Mumbai coach Sandeep Patil and captain Nathan Astle both reported concerns about the game.

It was at this point that Beer was informed that the ICL's suspicions were focused on Chandigarh. "There was a suggestion by Kiran More that Mr Cairns was involved," Beer said, though no evidence to support the claim was put before him. "It was a closed shop, they only told me what that wanted to tell me."

Shortly after this, Beer was informed that ICL executives wanted to take over the investigation themselves. When asked by Caldecott if he thought that was "irregular", Beer replied: "Yes."

"They had not been cooperative all the way through," he said. "They weren't going to change." Asked if he thought they had their own agenda, he said: "Yes. What it was, I don't know."

Caldecott suggested: "They didn't want you digging around, did they?" Beer responded by saying: "You could draw that inference."

It was also revealed that JP Yadav, a player with the Delhi Giants, said that he had been approached by Chandigarh players Dinesh Mongia and TP Singh but did not mention Cairns. Several of the interviews with players who have accused Cairns were not conducted in English, Beer said, at one point admitting "I had no idea what was going on," during the questioning of one player.

Earlier, when under examination from Ronald Thwaites QC, representing Modi, Beer said that he had been present during the hotel meeting that led to Cairns' sacking and confirmed the evidence given in his witness statement that Cairns had looked at him and said: "Help me here, Howard." Cairns has denied saying this and claims that fixing was only mentioned in general terms during the meeting, with the discussion centring on his ankle injury.

The court also heard from Cairns' wife, Mel, and his advisor Andrew Fitch-Holland, who was instructed by Cairns to "shut down" rumours about match-fixing after his departure from the ICL. Fitch-Holland said, however, that there was a "massive difference" between gossip on fan websites and Modi's tweet.

Hosts brace for final Sri Lankan surge

Match facts

March 6, Adelaide
Start time 1350 (0320 GMT)

	Michael Clarke wants more from his weary team to close out the series in Adelaide

Big Picture

Australia are a match away from sealing a dramatic and entertaining triangular series, but it is all too apparent that Michael Clarke's team is staggering towards the finish line. To wrap up the finals 2-0 the hosts will have to win two in a row for the first time since games one and two of the series, and do so on an Adelaide surface far more amenable to Sri Lanka than Brisbane's was supposed to have been. Mahela Jayawardene's Sri Lankan team, meanwhile, carries plenty of momentum from the Gabba, not least in terms of the fight shown by a lower order that was about as inclined to quit as the American revolutionaries at the battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.

Clarke's concerns entering the second final revolve principally around his bowling, which lurched into indiscipline as Nuwan Kulasekara and others provided an unexpected fright. It was not the first time the home attack had been exploited in the later overs this series, something Clarke was at pains to address in the aftermath of the match, when he spoke less as a victor than as a leader wary of how his men are flagging. Ben Hilfenhaus and James Pattinson were particularly loose, and only Shane Watson looked entirely in command of his length and direction. David Warner's fitness is also a problem following his match-shaping 163, and will likely force a change in the batting order.

While Sri Lanka's attack looked powerless at times on a flat surface in Brisbane, they can expect a little more help in Adelaide, on a pitch that may slow up and turn in the evening. Most pressing among Jayawardene's requirements will be that one or more of his team's vaunted top order provides a more worthy contribution than they managed at the Gabba, where the late fightback masked the earlier inattention that made such a stirring rearguard necessary.

Form guide

Australia WLWLW (Most recent first)
Sri Lanka LWLWW

In the spotlight

Xavier Doherty bowled tidily at the Gabba, maintaining his knack for the useful. However in Adelaide he will expect to play a more central role, taking wickets as well as keeping the runs down. David Hussey managed to burgle four wickets in Brisbane, and Doherty's lack of a major haul across his matches in this series will be the one thing nagging away at him. These finals are the last ones he will play as the undisputed No. 1 ODI spinner, as Nathan Lyon will vie for a place against Doherty in the Caribbean.

Nuwan Kulasekara is nobody's idea of a conspicuous cricketer, his steady right-arm medium fast bowling the sort of handy skill that can make an ODI career of substance rather than fanfare. However the way he crashed into Australia's bowlers with the bat at the Gabba suggested greater depths of flair lurk beneath, and must have caused more than a few to ask "who was that masked man?" as he left the scene with 73 to his name. His challenge in Adelaide will be to replicate that impact, with ball or bat. Another star-turn would help keep the series alive.

Team news

David Warner is in extreme doubt due to a groin injury picked up during his Gabba innings, leaving Peter Forrest the most likely reinforcement while Shane Watson returns to the top of the order. One of Pattinson or Hilfenhaus should make way for Clint McKay.

Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Matthew Wade (wk), 3 Peter Forrest, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Michael Hussey, 6 David Hussey, 7 Daniel Christian, 8 Brett Lee, 9 James Pattinson, 10 Clint McKay, 11 Xavier Doherty.

An extra spinner is a likely gambit by the visitors, while they are also waiting on the fitness of Angelo Mathews.

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Lahiru Thirimanne, 6 Upul Tharanga, 7 Farveez Maharoof, 8 Sachithra Senanayake, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Rangana Herath.

Pitch and conditions

Adelaide's surface can be expected to be of similar character to that which hosted the domestic limited-overs final. The match was a dramatic tie that ended with South Australia and Tasmania locked on 285 runs apiece, a comfortable batting surface offering some turn in the evening. The weather forecast is fine and temperate.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka were victorious the last time they met Australia in a final at Adelaide Oval, in 2006.
• That night Tillakaratne Dilshan had a hand in no fewer than four run-outs
• This will be the last international match (or matches) hosted by Adelaide Oval before the start of redevelopment work that will dramatically reconfigure the ground.

Quotes

"A win is a win. But we have a lot of work to do with our Powerplay and death bowling. It hasn't been good enough all series. It continues to let us down. We are the No.1 one-day team and we have to be better than that. Hopefully that [scare] allows us to understand that we have to be better than that."
Michael Clarke was unimpressed with his bowlers in Brisbane

"The boys, at the end, showed some real character and kept fighting which is something you want to cultivate in a team."
Mahela Jayawardene saw something at the Gabba to build on in Adelaide

Lee bowls Australia into strong position

5 overs Sri Lanka 4 for 123 (Thirimanne 13*, Tharanga 5*, Lee 3-28) need another 199 runs to beatAustralia 6 for 321 (Warner 163, Wade 64

	David Warner made 163 from 157 balls © Getty Images

Brett Lee bowled Australia into a powerful position at the Gabba, where Sri Lanka required something special from their remaining batsmen to have any hope of winning the first final. They also needed the rain to stay away, which was no certainty, for their Duckworth-Lewis target crept higher with every wicket that fell, and at the 25-over mark they were 4 for 123 chasing 322 for victory.

Lahiru Thirimanne was at the crease on 13 and Upul Tharanga, in his first match back after being dropped earlier in the series, was on 5. They had held some hope while Kumar Sangakkara remained in the middle but his departure for 42, caught when he lobbed a ball to mid-off in the first over of Lee's second spell, was a big blow.

Sangakkara had been under pressure to lift the tempo as the required run-rate crawled up towards 7.5 an over, the loss of early wickets having stifled Sri Lanka's scoring. Mahela Jayawardene was caught behind for 14 when he pushed at a delivery from Lee and his opening partner Tillakaratne Dilshan followed in Lee's next over.

Dilshan had picked up five boundaries in his 27 from 22 balls but his innings ended when Lee nipped one through the gate as Dilshan tried for a big drive. Sangakkara took to James Pattinson with three consecutive boundaries and shared a promising partnership with Dinesh Chandimal until Chandimal cut David Hussey's first delivery straight to backward point for 14.

The four top-order wickets left a lot of work for the middle and lower orders and just as much of a concern was the need to lift the scoring rate. There have been some impressive chases in this series, but Sri Lanka would need to top them all to get out of this hole.

50 overs Australia 6 for 321 (Warner 163, Wade 64) v Sri Lanka

David Warner's first ODI century pushed Australia to the second-highest total ever recorded in a one-day international at the Gabba and left Sri Lanka needing something special to win the first final. Warner was out from the last ball of the 50th over, bowled for 163 attempting to slog Dhammika Prasad, and it left Australia at 6 for 321, three runs short of the ground record.

Warner and Matthew Wade gave Australia an outstanding start with a 136-run opening partnership and although Wade fell for 64, Warner went on and made the most of the platform. It had been a disappointing series up until this innings for Warner, who made his name as a Twenty20 player for Australia and this summer scored two Test hundreds, but had struggled to find his way in the 50-over format.

He brought up his century with a fortuitous edge to the third-man boundary from his 111th delivery and celebrated with the now-familiar Warner high leap and punch of the air. It was a more restrained innings than many of Warner's limited-overs efforts but that was no bad thing, and he still had the confidence to go for his shots when the bowlers gave him the opportunity.

Warner was especially strong with his drives down the ground, which were generally timed to perfection, and he also pulled with power from midwicket to long-on. He pounced on the overpitched length from Dhammika Prasad, who was recalled for his third match of the tournament, and sent consecutive balls down the ground for fours and followed up with a pull over long-on for six.

He also cleared the square-leg rope with a fine pull off a shorter delivery from Lasith Malinga, and although his scoring rate didn't pick up as much as the fans might have liked towards the end of the innings it was still a wonderful display. He had late support from Michael Clarke, who scored 37 from 25 balls batting at No.6 before he was caught when he mistimed a pull off Malinga's slower ball.

Michael Hussey finished unbeaten on 19, including two sixes, having come in at No.7. The Australian batting order had been tinkered with as Clarke sent Daniel Christian in at No.4 in the hope of making the most of the batting Powerplay, but Christian was caught behind off Prasad for 10. The in-form David Hussey was also promoted but suffered a rare failure when he pushed a return catch to Rangana Herath for 1.

That was a straightforward catch for Herath. His first of the innings wasn't. Wade had fallen to a spectacular, freakish catch in the outfield from Herath, who seemed almost as stunned by his feat as the spectators were. Wade seemed to make good contact with a delivery from Nuwan Kulasekara but at long-on Herath backed back and in a last, desperate attempt thrust his left hand in the air as he fell backwards, plucking the catch one-handed and avoiding the boundary rope as he fell over and held on to the ball.

That ended the opening partnership, easily Australia's biggest in the series. Wade was the aggressor early and 18 runs came off the fifth over, in which he launched Malinga over long-on for six and crunched him through extra cover for four. He was typically strong through the off side and brought up his half-century from his 52nd delivery with a push to the off side from the spin of Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Wade scampered through for a single and Upul Tharanga's direct hit at the non-striker's end allowed the batsmen to take a further two overthrows. After Wade's departure, Shane Watson made 21 and was caught at deep square leg off Maharoof, who had returned to Sri Lanka's side after missing Friday's match in Melbourne due to a back injury.

As it turned out, the part-timer Dilshan was the best of Sri Lanka's bowlers, and while they weren't sloppy in the field, they have still been left with an enormous challenge. But after India's chase in Hobart on Tuesday, this series has shown that anything is possible.

Dazzling Kohli ton keeps India alive

India 3 for 321 (Kohli 133*, Gambhir 63) beat Sri Lanka 4 for 320 (Dilshan 160*, Sangakkara 105) by seven wickets

	Virat Kohli was "in the zone" during his 133 not out off 86 balls

Turnarounds don't come any better. Fortunes don't change more dramatically. And emotions don't bear a starker contrast. At the halfway stage, Sri Lanka would have felt they had one foot in the final, having left the India bowlers deflated after a dominating performance with the bat. And they would have been right to think that way, the Indian batting having shown little promise in the series and the team on the brink of elimination.

But Virat Kohli put on an imperious display of strokemaking, his malleable wrists powering an Indian fightback conspicuous by its absence on what had been, until now, two forgettable overseas trips. Kohli's innings made a mockery of an imposing score, kept India's finals hopes alive and left Sri Lanka having to beat Australia for a third time in the tournament to knock India out.

Given India's poor outings with the bat in their recent games, one would have expected them to struggle to chase a target of 321 in 50 overs. They achieved it in 36.4 - needing to chase it in 40 to stay alive in the series - and did so with Kohli finishing things off in a blaze of glory. Kohli was in the zone; he dismissed anything that came his way with clinical precision, found the boundary at will whether the field was in or pushed back, ran swiftly between the wickets to catch the fielders off guard and middled the ball with scarcely believable consistency.

While Kohli was the protagonist in India's successful chase, the other characters played their due part. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar would have wanted to do more but gave India the explosive start they desperately needed to stage a counterattack; Gautam Gambhir continued to be fluent, just four boundaries in a knock of 63 off 64 balls showing the toil behind the runs; and Suresh Raina, under pressure to perform, kept Kohli valuable company in a matchwinning stand.

If India were insipid with their bowling, Sri Lanka were far worse, as wides flowed, gift balls were doled out with regularity and the fielding buckled under the pressure of an unexpected fightback. Both innings were replete with fumbles, misfields, wayward throws - one of them, had it been on target, could have run Kohli out - making batting even more profitable on the easiest track in the series thus far. The brisk start to the chase and the subsequent consolidation by Gambhir and Kohli meant India were in with a fighting chance with two Powerplays still remaining, and both proved highly lucrative.

Kohli made both his own, first targetting Nuwan Kulasekara in the 31st over, which began with India needing 91 in 10 overs for a bonus point. He carted three consecutive fours as attempted yorkers failed to meet their desired lengths and served as tempting length balls. Two were whipped - in trademark Kohli fashion, a momentary turn of the wrists imparting tremendous force to the ball - and the other sliced over point in an act of improvisation.

The Sri Lanka fast bowlers misfired badly but even when they got it right, like an accurate yorker from Malinga, Kohli was able to shuffle across and expertly work it past the short fine fielder. He took 24 from Malinga in the 35th over, flicking him for six, sending one through the covers for four and then picking up three more fours past short fine, and finished the game with two thunderous drives through the off side. A pump of the fists was followed by a roar of elation and relief as MS Dhoni calmly trudged on to the field to join in the celebrations.

A win this dominating seemed a distant possibility when Kohli joined Gambhir at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket. Tendulkar had walked across too far to be caught plumb by Malinga, ending an innings in which Tendulkar seemed devoid of pressure and completely uninhibited in his approach. Sehwag and Tendulkar batted with freedom, the former smashing Malinga into the grassbanks behind deep midwicket in a fiery opening stand of 54, and Tendulkar going over the top on the off side, and displaying an adeptness in picking Malinga's variations. But at 2 for 86 in the 10th over, with India's two most experienced batsmen back in the pavilion and the required-rate still very high, Kohli and Gambhir faced a daunting task.

That both took little time to get going was crucial in maintaining the tempo that had been set. Gambhir steered Kulasekara for four off his third delivery before punching one past midwicket, and Kohli warmed up with one of several whips off Malinga off his second ball. The pair didn't get bogged down despite a 35-ball boundary drought, running swiftly between the wickets, converting ones into twos by putting the outfielders under pressure and making the fielders inside the circle appear redundant by stealing quick ones.

Kohli broke that drought with a drive off Thisara Perara past extra cover and later clobbered Angelo Mathews over the wide long-off boundary. At the halfway stage in the chase, the pair had notched up half-centuries, laying a solid foundation for the onslaught to follow with ten Powerplay overs still remaining. After Gambhir fell to an accurate throw while trying to steal a second, Raina infused the innings with greater urgency, providing a quicker partner at the other end to Kohli and indulging in some power play of his own to help hasten the finish.

The Kohli show overshadowed an assured and commanding performance by Sri Lanka with the bat, and centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, who capitalised on a palpably below-par show from India's bowlers.

Dilshan shrugged off his initial unease against the swinging ball to gradually open up and march towards his 11th ODI century and Sangakkara played an innings as attractive as several of his abruptly terminated cameos this tournament, only longer in duration this time, full of confidence and more pleasing on the eye. The determination and focus of trying to bat India out of the game was unwavering in their innings, and the smiles on their faces and the India players' drooping shoulders suggested a one-sided game. But body-language is not always a reliable indicator, for it had taken an about turn in three hours' time.

Pakistan sew up historic whitewash

	Along with the socks and the toothpaste, Pakistan certainly unpacked quite a shock for the No. 1 ranked side

Pakistan duly completed their first clean sweep against England in a Test series, an extraordinary achievement for a side with no home to call its own, a side that lives out of a suitcase and does it rather well. Along with the socks and the toothpaste they certainly unpacked quite a shock for the No. 1 ranked side.

Twice in a few months, the leading Test side in the world has been found wanting. India were whitewashed in England last summer and now England have suffered a similar humiliation. Test cricket in Asia, described by England's captain, Andrew Strauss, as "the final frontier," has proved as unconquerable as ever.

The sunny disposition of Saeed Ajmal, the Man of the Series, and the stiff-limbed tenacity of Abdur Rehman tormented England to the end. They shared 43 wickets between them in a three-Test series and England barely played a shot in anger. Even after dismissing Pakistan for 99 in their first innings, they could not summon either the method or confidence to prevail. Only when the game was as good as lost did Matt Prior, who has looked likelier than most throughout the series, play with gusto in making an unbeaten 49.

There was plentiful spin for Pakistan's spinners, not quick turn but leaping turn at times when the ball struck the rough. Fittingly, the match finished on an lbw referral as Monty Panesar swept at Rehman, only to find that his retro scoop bat had no magical qualities. DRS upheld the umpire's decision and the all-time record of 43 lbw decisions in a series was equalled.

Until then, Rehman had counted Strauss as his sole success as he bowled unchanged for two sessions, 30 overs sent down with unerring accuracy. He is the sort of spin bowler who looks slightly weary from the outset, but never noticeably tires after that.

The emphasis has been upon spin, but Umar Gul reminded England that the quicker bowlers carried their own threat. His four wickets set the course of the Test unquestionably towards Pakistan. Ian Bell averaged more than 100 last summer, less than 10 in this series and when he slapped a long hop wide of point it summed up his state of mind. Reverse swing accounted for Eoin Morgan, whose dance down the pitch was nothing compared to the merry jig from the wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal, after he had caught it. If Pakistan had doubts about taking the new ball, Gul allayed them as Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann risked all-out attack and got out almost immediately.

Cook had put up statuesque resistance, 187 balls for 49. Along the way he became the second youngest person, at 27 years and 43 days, to reach 6,000 Test runs. Only Sachin Tendulkar has reached the landmark at a younger age. His most attacking shot of the morning, a loft into the leg side against Rehman, caused the bowler to taunt him with applause. He lived on scraps, combating the turning ball with thoughtful defence and numerous works to the leg side and that proved his undoing as a leading edge was brilliantly held by Younis Khan, diving to his left at first slip.

England, 36 runs banked the previous evening, needed a further 288 at start of play. Strauss fell in the sixth over of the morning, lbw on the back foot once more. He reviewed it, although he would have been better advised to head smartly for the dressing room. When it comes to captain's reviews Strauss cannot match Misbah-ul-Haq. Misbah was lbw on five occasions in this series and took a review every time. It must be a captain's prerogative.

Without lapses in the field, Pakistan might have won sooner. They had dropped Cook the previous evening, a relatively simple chance to Taufeeq Umar at third slip and Gul's drop in the shadows of the stand at deep square gave him another reprieve as Pakistan lost the efficiency that has characterised their cricket throughout this series. Rehman made his frustration clear when he caught Jonathan Trott at deep square and flung the ball into the turf with feeling at the errors that had gone before.

Kevin Pietersen was bent upon playing enterprisingly. The first ball of the afternoon provided a reminder of his vulnerability when a bat-pad against Rehman flew high past short leg, but he had the fleeting satisfaction of striking him straight for six before Ajmal, from around the wicket, spun one through the gate and beamed at further bounty.

Adnan Akmal's fumble behind the stumps to reprieve Strauss, although not costly as the England captain was out in the next over, was the worst miss of all. Adnan has had a good series behind the stumps and has the opportunity to be Pakistan's first-choice keeper for many years to come but his excitable chatter was at times counterproductive. Strauss' edge flew to him at comfortable height but he put it down. For a few minutes he was quiet and you could hear your ears ringing.

Adnan's cacophony of cries often rent the air for inexplicable reasons. As do parrots, Adnan vocalises for many reasons. He may be excitedly greeting the day or summoning his family at sunset. He may be screeching when he is excited or when he is merely trying it on. He may screech when he thinks things have got too quiet or when he thinks it is his duty to scream. He just likes screeching. At one point he burst out coughing as if in sore need of a lozenge and Trott looked at him in deadpan fashion.

Adnan is also incorrigibly optimistic about reviewing umpiring decisions. "Do it, do it, yes, yes, all good," you could sense him saying from first moment to last. Misbah learned not to take his evidence into consideration and looked askance at him. He will not be looking askance tonight - every Pakistan player will share Adnan's excitement.

England must learn to play in Asia - Strauss

Andrew Strauss admitted that England would have to improve in Asian conditions, with tours to Sri Lanka and India also scheduled for this year

Andrew Strauss has warned that England must learn the lessons of their 3-0 series whitewash at the hands of Pakistan or face more misery in Asian conditions.

England's 71-run loss in the third Test in Dubaicondemned them to a 3-0 defeat in their first series since officially becoming ranked the No. 1 Test team. It was also the first series whitewash England had suffered since the 5-0 Ashes loss of 2006-07 and only the seventh in their history. With a two-Test tour to Sri Lanka coming up next month and a tour of India before Christmas, Strauss knows England have to improve in these conditions if they are to retain any hope of remaining the top-ranked side.

Strauss, England's Test captain, admitted that his team would do some "soul searching" over the coming days but insisted they would conduct a full debrief before making any decisions over the future of certain players. The positions of Ian Bell (who averaged 8.5 in the series), Kevin Pietersen (11.16) and Eoin Morgan (13.66) are all likely to come under scrutiny after England succumbed to their first series defeat since they lost to the West Indies in early 2009 and the first since Andy Flower was appointed to the position of permanent coach.

"We can't ignore this result and just say it's an aberration," Strauss said. "That would not help us. This was an eye-opener and a wake-up call and with two more tours on the subcontinent coming up, things won't get easier. We have to be up for this challenge.

"We have to look at the reasons we lost. We have to look at our preparation, our training, our techniques and our temperament. It would be wrong for us to ignore these things, but we also need to remain true to what has worked well in the past.

"No-one has a right to play for England forever. It would be patently wrong for us to think like that. But we also need to take time to let the dust settle. We need to look at what went wrong individually. Hopefully over the next week or two, things will become clearer.

"I have great faith in our batsmen," Strauss continued. "I think they are some of best be in world, but I am disappointed we haven't coped better. I haven't been involved in a series where so many batsmen have had a hard time. We all have some questions to answer and soul searching into how we can do things better. There was a consistent failure on our part. If you keep getting bowled out for 140 or 150 you're not going to win many Test matches. We could and should have been better."

Andy Flower, the England coach, suggested the long lay-off his players had enjoyed before the series might have been a contributory factor to the result. Before this tour England had not played Test cricket since the series against India finished in August last year and no cricket at all since the limited-overs series in October.

"Looking back now, I don't think we were ready," Flower said. "I shoulder that side of the blame because it was my decision to give them that time off. We won't let that happen again.

"We spent a couple of months out of the game and not doing a lot while Pakistan were beating Sri Lanka and working hard to beat Bangladesh and that hardened them up for this contest. Certainly during that rest time, our team and support staff were all being lauded and, while that was happening, Pakistan were working hard at their game and beating international opposition. Consequently one side was sharp and ready and one side wasn't and we've got to do something about that."

Flower also expressed his faith in the batting line-up, but confessed he was surprised at how they had struggled in the series. "We do have a lot of faith in our players and that faith has been justified over a long period of time," he said. "But we've obviously underperformed here badly. I've been surprised by how poorly we've batted.

"We have to take the lessons that have been learned here and improve our skills and improve out method for the Sri Lanka tour. A number of our big players have underperformed in this series. It was the first time that so many of our established Test crickets were out of runs and not feeling as confident as they usually do and not as clear in their method as they usually are."

	Ian Bell is one of a few England batsmen under pressure after a poor series © Getty Images  Enlarge

Misbah-ul-Haq, meanwhile, said the whitewashing of England has sent "a strong message that the Pakistan team are back in cricket."

Pakistan's captain hailed his side's "wonderful achievement" after leading them to victory in the third Test. It was the fifth time that Pakistan had achieved a whitewash in a series of three matches or more.

Victory was especially sweet for Misbah given the context in which the series was played. The previous time these teams met, in 2010, the series was soured by allegations of corruption that subsequently led to three of the Pakistan team receiving jail sentences. The episode tarnished the reputation of Pakistan cricket and forced the side to rebuild with a new captain and several new players. Now, however, Misbah feels Pakistan cricket is in the news for the right reasons.

"We showed that we are a power in the cricketing world again," Misbah said. "Now is the time to give importance to the Pakistan team again. It is a wonderful thing for us. I can't describe in words how important this series was for our team.

"We just came out of such problems. But the way we have come out and the way we are progressing is wonderful. Everyone was ignoring us, but now they have to look at Pakistan cricket."

Pakistan, who were dismissed for just 99 on the first day of this game, also became the first team since 1907 to win a Test after being bowled out for under 100 in the first innings. Pakistan responded by limited England's first innings lead to 42, before centuries from Azhar Ali and Younis Khan seized the initiative for the hosts.

"Our bowlers did a wonderful job," Misbah said. "They cut down the lead and we knew that, if we were only behind by 100 on the first innings, we were still in the game. Then Azhar Ali and Younis Khan batted wonderfully. Their batting was the main thing that brought us back into the game."

Having proved their potency in these conditions, Misbah agreed that his team would be defined by their success overseas. "That's another challenge," Misbah said, "but this team loves challenges. We have it in our mind. We are focused on proving ourselves outside Pakistan.

"If you saw us in New Zealand, though, you would know we can do it. Conditions there were not easy for our team, but we performed well there and in the West Indies. We are looking forward to playing in South Africa and Australia and we will start our preparation now."

Hampshire's Danny Briggs relies more on control than any extravagant turn

Jos Buttler and Danny Briggs have been named in England's limited-overs squads to face Pakistan in the UAE. The pair, both of whom are uncapped in ODI cricket, have been included in the squad that will play four ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals.

Ian Bell, however, was omitted from the squad. Bell had passed 50 only once in his last 14 ODI innings and had looked uncomfortable against Saeed Ajmal's spin in the recently concluded Test series. It is entirely possible that Bell, aged 29 and a veteran of 108 ODIs, has played his last limited-overs match for England.

Buttler, a 21-year-old from Somerset, has been in good form recently for England Lions. He struck two centuries and a half-century in his last five innings against Sri Lanka A, including one century from just 56 deliveries. He broke into England's Twenty20 side towards the end of the English season after impressing in several important games - notably the CB40 final and the FPt20 quarter-final. He is seen as having the big-match temperament and the big-hitting game to prove a destructive ODI player. He can also keep wicket.

Briggs, a 20-year-old left-arm spinner from Hampshire, is one of three spinners in the 16-man squad. A bowler who relies more on control than any extravagant turn, England hope Briggs proves well-suited to the slow, low pitches anticipated in the UAE.

Tim Bresnan, who has just rejoined the England squad, having earlier returned to England for further treatment on an elbow injury that required surgery at the start of December, is also included subject to further fitness tests.

Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales will join the squad for the Twenty20 leg of the tour, with Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott returning to England. Stuart Broad is the captain of England's Twenty20 side that will be looking to retain their World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka in September.

Squads ODIs: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott Twenty20s: Stuart Broad (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann

England's National Selector, Geoff Miller, said: "We have selected two squads that include both experienced international players and younger players who have performed strongly for England Lions in recent months and deserve an opportunity to further test themselves against quality opposition. Playing against Pakistan in the UAE will be challenging but it is important that these players continue to develop their skills so that we are able to make strides in limited-overs cricket particularly on the subcontinent."

England have a mixed ODI record. While their home form remains impressive - they won series against both World Cup finalists, India and Sri Lanka, at home in 2011 - their away form is grim. They lost all five matches against India in October and 14 of their last 20 outside England. They have won just five and tied the other.

Their record in Asia is even more gruesome. Since December 12, 2005, England have won just 12 of 38 ODIs in Asia and four of those victories came against Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Pakistan, by contrast, have won 12 of their last 13 ODIs and 23 of their last 30. England, however, have won five of the last seven ODI meetings between the sides.

In a bid to improve the tempo of England's batting, Kevin Pietersen is likely to be given another opportunity to open the innings, with Craig Kieswetter dropping down to bat at No. 5. While England hope Pietersen can exploit the powerplay overs, Kieswetter is also seen as an accomplished hitter of the older, softer ball. Both may require productive series to silence their critics.

Kieswetter has only passed 50 once in his last 24 ODIs, while Pietersen has not made a score of 80 or more since November 2008.

Indeed, in that period, he has only passed 50 three times in 34 innings. But England have invested a lot of time in both of them and would be loathe to change tactics now.

England will warm-up for the series by taking on England Lions on Friday, before the ODI series begins in Abu Dhabi on February 13.