Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Asad Shafiq and captain Misbah-ul-Haq fifth wicket stand kept South Africa at bay and guided Pakistan to 198-4 at lunch on the fourth day of the second test here. Saturday.
Both scored half century. Shafiq, who successfully reversed an lbw decision on TV referral when on 36, was unbeaten on 67 with seven fours and a six.
Misbah was batting on a solid 60 with three fours and a six as both shared a 128-run for the fifth wicket stand.
Pakistan, which won the first test by seven wickets, still needed 220 runs to avoid an innings defeat and stop the Proteas from leveling the two-match series.
South Africa plundered 517 in its first innings for a monumental 418-run lead after Pakistan was dismissed for just 99.
On a day when Faf du Plessis escaped with a fine of 50 percent of his match fee for ball tampering, South Africa struggled to get the breakthrough with Misbah and Shafiq showing lot of patience and grit.
Captain Graeme Smith took the second new ball just before lunch but both batsmen watchfully played out fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander's four overs.
Pakistan had added nine to its overnight 132-4 when Shafiq was adjudged leg before wicket by Australian umpire Rod Tucker in the fifth over of the day off Philander's sharp delivery.
But after Shafiq went for TV review, he was spot on that the ball would have missed the leg stump.
Shafiq, who lofted legspinner Imran Tahir over the long off for a six in a rare aggression during the session, completed his half century off 121 balls Misbah also consumed as many deliveries when he turned down seamer Morne Morkel to third man boundary for his 22nd fifty in test matches.
