ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates: Pakistan consolidated its position in the second test against Australia, reaching 158-2 at tea on the first day.
Younis Khan, who had centuries in both innings in the first test, was unbeaten on 49, while Azhar Ali labored to 26.
Mohammad Hafeez was the only man out in the second session Thursday, edging a good delivery shaping outside from Mitchell Johnson into the safe gloves of Brad Haddin behind the wickets when on 45.
That brought Khan onto the pitch, and he carried on from where he left off in Dubai. It was a much more aggressive knock from the Pakistani, who now has the highest number of centuries (26) for his country, as he needed just 73 balls to reach his 49 with the help of six boundaries.
Ali was more circumspect in his 26, with his only boundary coming in the first session of play. He added just 15 runs to his score since lunch, but added 62 runs for the third wicket with Khan after Hafeez was dismissed with the score on 96.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss for the second successive time and had no hesitation in batting first on a Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch that is expected to deteriorate as play progresses.
There was already appreciable turn for offspinner Nathan Lyon, who took the only wicket of the pre-lunch session when he trapped Ahmed Shehzad lbw for 35.
Shehzad, who made a fine 131 in the second innings of the Dubai test, was let off in the first over off Lyon when on 20, but fell lbw to the same bowler four overs later when he tried to turn a straight delivery to the leg side and missed it completely.
Earlier, Pakistan announced an unchanged team from the one that won the first test in Dubai by 221 runs last week.
Australia made two changes, bolstering its pace attack by bringing in fast bowler Mitchell Starc in place of left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe, while allrounder Glenn Maxwell replaced specialist batsman Alex Doolan, who failed in both innings in Dubai.
