"It won’t happen overnight, but we will have to work hard" - Saqlain Mushtaq hopeful of Pakistan bouncing back after losing to England

Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq expressed his disappointment following a humiliating series defeat to England on home soil. Mushtaq admitted that Pakistan have to learn from their mistakes and suggested they must take inspiration from England.

Pakistan suffered their worst-ever Test series defeat as England sealed a 3-0 series sweep on Tuesday in the third Test in Karachi. The Men in Green collapsed from 164-3 to 216 all out on day three as England finished with 112-2 and needed 55 more for a whitewash. They achieved the remaining runs within the first hour of the subsequent day.

Speaking to Geo News after the eight-wicket loss, Mushtaq asserted that Pakistan have plenty to improve upon and must work hard and reflected that England's betterment also didn't happen overnight.

"There are certain things which are exposed in the longer format, these things are usually under the carpet in a shorter format, but you need to be technically and tactically perfect in the longer format, and we’ve to improve in these areas. It won’t happen overnight, but we will have to work hard.

"England did not adopt this policy overnight; they went through a thought process before applying this style, though there were times in this series as well when we forced them to get back to the traditional style of playing Test cricket."

Despite the coaching staff facing the heat, skipper Babar Azam has backed them, stating that they can only do so much. While he lamented the loss, the 28-year-old feels they need to be patient with the youngsters.

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"In a longer game format, experience is key" - Saqlain Mushtaq

Pakistan cricket team. (Credits: Getty)

The 45-year-old recalled that Pakistan had the opportunity to win the first two Tests, but suggested they lacked the experience. He added:

"In Rawalpindi and Multan, there were times when we were looking to win the games, but it didn’t end in our favour. If you look at Multan Test, we were in a good position there as well. But, Saud Shakeel's controversial decision was the turning point; otherwise, he had put us in a commanding position.

"In a longer game format, experience is key, and it helps you at a crucial stage; this favoured England in the series. We have to learn from our mistakes."

Pakistan will hope to spark a comeback in the three-Test series against New Zealand, starting on December 26th.