Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Khurram Manzoor and debutant Shan Masood opening stand helped Pakistan post 155-1 against South Africa by tea on the second day of the first cricket test on Tuesday.
Pakistan is still trailing by 94 runs after bowling out South Africa for 249.
Manzoor and masood's 135-run stand is Pakistan's first opening century partnership since January 2012.
The left-handed Masood made 75 off 140 balls before he was trapped lbw by JP Duminy. He waited too long to ask for review. Manzoor was 72 not out with seven fours.
The new opening combination -- the sixth in the last seven tests -- finally came good for Pakistan, and the only blemish in Masood's otherwise authoritative knock came when on 9 Jacques Kallis didn't bend enough at second slip to hold onto an edge off Dale Steyn.
Both openers used their feet well against spinners and Masood completed his half century off 102 balls when he took a sharp single. Soon after, Manzoor raised his third consecutive test half century off 96 balls as South Africa's pace bowlers bowled too short and never looked to threaten the two openers.
Manzoor and Masood missed out by two runs on tying Pakistan's best opening partnership against South Africa: Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umar shared 137 at Faisalabad in 2003.
Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 245-8, century-maker Hashim Amla edged lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan (3-44) to Younis Khan at second slip off the second ball in the morning as the ball moved away from the right-hander.
Amla anchored the innings with a spirited 118 off 252 balls, hitting 13 fours as he occupied the crease almost throughout the first day while the rest of the specialist batsmen struggled.
Khan, playing in his 85th test, also equaled Javed Miandad's Pakistan record of 93 test catches.
Saeed Ajmal then had Steyn (15) stumped to finish with 2-59 while rookie left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar ended up with 3-89.
