Root, run out on 61 at the Ageas Bowl, emerged in imperious form, striking three attractive – one drive was picture flawless – boundaries.
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Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat but promptly lost three wickets in the first four overs and, though Sarfraz Ahmed (105) aided the recovery with his second 50-over ton, the tourists were bowled out for 251.
Pakistan recovered from a awful start, thanks to a century by Sarfraz Ahmed, to post a respectable total of 251 before Root and captain Eoin Morgan shared a third-wicket stand of 112 to lay the platform for the hosts to go 2-0 up in the series.
Sarfraz Ahmed became the first Pakistan player to score a one-day global hundred at Lord’s as the tourists fought back after a dramatic collapse against England on Saturday.
Stephen Cook (56) and Quinton de Kock (82) gave South Africa a strong start with an opening partnership of 133. Azhar Ali also fell for a duck when caught behind off Woakes.
Theresa May took time out from running the country to watch England play cricket at the sport’s spiritual home. Pakistan grabbed some cheap late wickets, but never really threatened to win the game. But the spiky wicketkeeper-batsman became Adil Rashid’s only victim the following over, picking out Alex Hales at deep midwicket with a slog sweep. “He seems to be batting on a different wicket to everyone else”.
Root, 25, was the dominate figure in their run chase, scoring 89 en route to England’s four-wicket win.
However, Stokes said he has worked hard on his game and is ready to take the challenge.
Though he perished attempting to make room for a cut, Ben Stokes missed a horrid smear, Jos Buttler was run out by a direct hit when called for an optimistic single and Root holed out to mid-off, the sense was that England were cruising long before they reached the finish line.
First Wood uprooted Sharjeel Khan’s off stump with an 87mph beauty that pitched full and seamed perfectly away from the bat, then Woakes unpicked Azhar’s defence with a wonderful swinging delivery that drew a half-hearted edge.
Babar Azam (30) struck several stylish boundaries before he played on to Liam Plunkett, leaving Pakistan at 66 for 4.
But Sarfraz frustrated England with a mixture of orthodox and improvised shots.
Ahmed, whose lone previous ODI hundred was against Ireland at past year s World Cup, completed a 124-ball century when he leg-glanced Plunkett for his sixth four.
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Now, as England hunt the victory that would see them wrap up the series with two games to spare, Stokes is itching to be let off the leash by captain Eoin Morgan after declaring himself fit to bowl in the third ODI at Trent Bridge.
