Root leads England to easy one-day win
JOE ROOT expertly marshalled the England chase as they reeled off a four-wicket victory over Pakistan in yesterday’s second oneday international at Lord’s.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed produced the star turn, making 105 to lift his side to 251 all out but a lack of support meant that was never likely to be a winning total.
Root provided the reply with a disciplined, doughty spine but fell for 89, his fourth successive half-century in the format, just before the job was done.
Both Sarfraz and Root favoured pragmatism over pyrotechnics, scoring 61 and 53 singles respectively, but England were collectively stronger and took a 2-0 series lead.
England’s new-ball pairing Chris Woakes and Mark Wood impressed again, sharing six wickets and reducing Pakistan to two for three after they opted to bat first.
Sami Aslam scored one in 10 balls and departed to the slightest brush of glove off Woakes, third umpire Simon Fry overturning the on-field verdict.
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 Ali’s defence with a sharp inswinger.
That brought Sarfraz to the middle and he lingered for the majority of the innings, sharing in successive stands of 64, 59 and 77. Babar Azam was his first foil, playing fluently for 30 before Liam Plunkett’s brisk yorker dislodged a bail via bat and boot.
Shoaib Malik was in next, adding 28 as Sarfraz steered and guided his way to 50.
Sarfraz continued working steadily towards three figures alongside Imad Wasim and reached the landmark with just his sixth boundary of the day, tucking Plunkett towards fine leg before leaping high in celebration. Having become the first Pakistani to score a one-day hundred at Lord’s he departed to a half-hit slog-sweep.
That left 7.1 overs, during which England took the last four wickets for 49 runs.
Hasan Ali and Wahab Riaz both fell to memorable catches, Root clinging on at long-leg despite a nasty collision with Rashid and Plunkett collecting a brilliant one-hander.
England would not have been daunted by the chase but the cheap dismissals of Jason Roy and Alex Hales, bowled on the sweep by Imad, raised the stakes.
Pakistan reeled through their bowling options with minimal impact but the stand reached 112 before it could be stopped.
Morgan had been strong against spin but was too ambitious against Imad in the 31st over, shuffling outside leg and letting the ball sneak under an attempted cut.
Root persevered, turning Wahab Riaz for three to bring the target under a hundred but was happy to play second fiddle to the incoming Ben Stokes.
The Durham all-rounder was quick to attack.
He peppered the boundary on his way to 42 in 30 balls, also managing an effortless straight six off Yasir Shah, and also received the best delivery of the innings when Hasan dug one into the shoulder of the bat.
Stokes fell in fittingly ambitious fashion, bowled looking for a big hit into the on-side, and Jos Buttler was run out cheaply but the result was safe.
Root was gone before the end, chipping Wahab to Shoaib in search of his century, but Moeen and Woakes applied the finishing touches.