Asad Shafiq rallied Pakistan's resistance with an unflustered, unbeaten century Sunday, frustrating Australia's push for victory and keeping alive his team's slim hopes of a record-breaking win in the series-opening day-night test.
After an extended, rain-interrupted fourth day, Pakistan reached stumps at 382-8 at 10:09 p.m. local time. That left Australia three sessions Monday to take two wickets. Pakistan needs 108 runs for an improbable, record-beating run chase.
Pakistan's hopes of prolonging the test into a fifth day appeared to plummet as it slumped to 173-5 in the middle session when Younis Khan (65) attempted an impetuous reverse sweep and got an edge off the bat. The ball rolled up his arm and floated up to Steve Smith, who ran behind the wicketkeeper to take a simple catch.
But the resistance was far from over, with Shafiq marshalling the lower order.
He shared partnerships of 47 with Sarfraz Ahmed (24), 92 with Mohammad Amir (48) and 66 with Wahab Riaz (30) to defy an Australian attack that had skittled Pakistan's first innings with a spell of 7-24 on the second night.
Batting at No. 6, Shafiq raised his 10th test century in the second-to-last over, reaching the milestone from 140 balls and stroking 10 boundaries and a six. He was not out 100 at the close and Yasir Shah was on four, surviving three balls after Wahab was caught at slip in the last over.
Compounding the frustrations for Australia were dropped catches, including two good chances at second slip by skipper Smith - one off Mitch Starc's bowling when Shafiq was on 72. The Pakistan lineup has already set a record for the biggest fourth innings at the Gabba, a mark England set at 370 in a 277-run loss during the 2006-07 Ashes series.
Pakistan resumed Sunday at 70-2 and survived the shortened first session without loss. But after a long delay for a thunder storm, and a 15-minute interruption for showers, Pakistan lost opener Azhar Ali (71), skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (5) and Younis before dinner.