“Clearly it was a good toss to win. We got ahead, and stayed ahead.

“Joe [Root’s] performance, stepping up to number three, was so controlled. We all know what a world-class player he is. He didn’t put a foot wrong.”

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said: “Full credit to England – they won a good toss and Cook and Root took the game away from us. We were below average.”

England, who lost the first test at Lord’s by 75 runs, bounced back with a huge first-innings total of 589 for eight declared.

Root made a test-best 254 and Cook 105, his 29th test century.

Pakistan managed just 198 in reply, captain Misbah-ul-Haq top-scoring with 52 and England all-rounder Chris Woakes taking four for 67.

Despite a first-innings lead of 391, Cook opted against enforcing the follow-on.

Instead Cook (76 not out) and Root (71 not out) inflicted further punishment on Pakistan’s attack before the skipper declared England’s second innings at 173 for one on Monday morning.

The scale of Pakistan’s task could be seen from the fact that no side have made more to win in the fourth innings of a test than the West Indies’ 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s in 2003.

No Pakistan batsman made a fifty in their second innings, with three England bowlers – James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali – all taking three wickets apiece.

Root, the man of the match, said: “It’s a great feeling. It’s about contributing to wins – that’s what it’s all about. Those two occasions at Lord’s it was batsman error on my part. I tried to cut that out of my game. It’s the most controlled I’ve played.”

The third test starts at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground on August 3.