by Our Sports Desk

ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook acknowledged his team paid for a bad session yesterday after they lost the Second Test against Pakistan in Dubai.

The tourists went down by 178 runs despite a brave effort on the final day — however, they paid for losing seven wickets for 36 runs on day three.

Cook said afterwards: “Obviously I’m very disappointed we didn’t get over the line but you can’t afford to have a bad session and that’s what’s cost us the game.

“We showed a lot of character today and refused to buckle. We’ll take a lot from that — we’re thinking if only we’d faced six or seven more balls each we’d have done it.

“I was hoping the umpires had taken them off for light with nine overs to even it up but there you go.”

As the final hour came, Pakistan began to fear England would salvage a draw.

But England then lost Mark Wood with 11 overs to go, before Adil Rashid departed for 61.

Cook added: “It’s just so frustrating. Full credit to the way the guys batted today — but we all know the third morning really cost us.

“You always have the feeling ‘today might be the day’ but the odds were against us.

“There are a lot of good things to come out of it in one sense — but we shouldn’t have been in that position.

“We’re doing a lot of good things — nine of the 10 days have been fairly even but a tough two hours have cost us this game.”

Pakistan now lead the three-match series going into the finale in Sharjah, which starts on Sunday.

Cook acknowledged that Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler did not have their best games for England but “it’s international cricket — there is always someone struggling a bit.

“The selectors will try to pick a side to win that game.”

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was pleased with his team’s victory.

He said: “I think the performance, overall, was really good.

“It was a really good effort by the bowlers which enabled us to get them out.”