"Once we lost the toss there was lot of moisture on the pitch and we could not really get back in the test match," Misbah said.
Sri Lanka seamers Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal and Shaminda Eranga shared the top seven wickets between them before Rangana Herath mopped up the tail with three wickets to bowl out Pakistan for 165.
"We also played some indisciplined shots and that put us in trouble (in the first innings)," Misbah said.
Led by Misbah's 97 and half centuries from Younis Khan (77) and Sarfraz Ahmed (74), Pakistan managed to push the game into the fifth day for a lead of 137 runs.
But Misbah said he was expecting a bit more from his batsmen in the second innings after Sri Lanka established a 223-run lead.
"The pitch was very flat, there wasn't any turn or help for the fast bowlers," Misbah said. "We still could have done better than that."
