Inzamam appeals to fans for support

Inzamam-ul-Haq has appealed to Pakistani fans and supporters to stick with the national side despite their 2-0 series loss to England this week. It was their first since early 2005 in Australia and their first in England since 1982, and the criticism has been harsh from fans and former players.

"I know my people are very upset and disappointed with our performances. I can understand their anger. But I would ask them to be patient with this team which has done well in the recent past," Inzamam said in his column in a leading Urdu language daily. "We will make every effort to win the fourth and final Test at The Oval and draw something positive from the Test series and also to go into the one-day international series with confidence."

An under-fire Inzamam conceded that England had outplayed them comprehensively. "They [England] came into the series with a definite game plan to beat us and we unfortunately could not sustain the pressure," Inzamam said. "We didn't play as a unit at all. We failed to click as a team and England did. Only Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf turned in brilliant individual performances. They didn't get the required backing."

However, he urged everyone to remember Pakistan's recent successes. "The team must be supported because it has played well recently to beat England, India and Sri Lanka," he said. "The players are keen to make amends in fourth Test. They feel the defeat. People say Sri Lanka [who drew 1-1 with England before Pakistan arrived] did better than us and yes they did because they played like a team and with a game plan."

The fourth Test starts on August 17 at The Oval.