Pakistan found itself in a tough fight to save the first Test against South Africa after being set a massive target for victory following magnificent centuries from Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla on the fourth day on Monday.
Pakistan finished the fourth day at 109 for two, with Azhar Ali on 37 and Younis Khan on 11 at the crease, still needing to bat out 90 overs on Tuesday for a draw — or score a challenging 342 more on a deteriorating Dubai Stadium pitch.
Set 451 to win, Pakistan lost openers Mohammad Hafeez (34) and Taufiq Umer (22) after both gave their team a confident start with a 41-run stand.
Earlier, Kallis made 135 and Amla 118 as Pakistan, left a bowler short after paceman Wahab Riaz's injury on the first day, toiled hard against the two, before Graeme Smith declared at 318 for two.
Amla and Kallis put on 242 runs in an unbroken third-wicket stand — a record against Pakistan beating the 207-run stand Kallis put on with Graeme Smith in Lahore three years ago.
Kallis was the more aggressive of the two as he hit eight boundaries and four towering sixes — three of those off off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and one off left-armer Abdul Rehman — during his 218-ball knock.
Amla notched up 10 boundaries during his 225-ball stay at the crease.
It was Amla who reached the three-figure mark first. He hit Gul through point to reach 97, then took a couple, and in the next Rehman over reached his 11th Test hundred with a single.
In the next over, Kallis completed his 36th Test century off 185 balls which included seven boundaries and two sixes.
