Steve Smith scored his maiden one-day international century as Australia overcame a slow start to post a competitive total of 8-255 in Tuesday’s clash with Pakistan.

Smith’s superb knock of 101 off 118 balls came in stifling heat with temperatures in the high 30s in Sharjah.

He arrived at the crease for the second ball of the day with his side under plenty of pressure at 1-0.

The 25-year-old right-hander hit six fours and two sixes and departed in the 45th over with Australia in a strong position at 6-216.

Brad Haddin (23 not out) and Mitchell Johnson (21) shared a 32-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Australia had lost Aaron Finch caught at backward point from the first ball of the match as the right-hander made a “royal” duck against the bowling of towering 216cm quick Mohammad Irfan.

David Warner (43) and Smith added 86 for the second wicket after a slow start that yielded just five runs off the first three overs.

Warner was out after hitting a pull shot from the bowling of legspinner Shahid Afridi to mid-wicket in the 19th over.

Skipper George Bailey (18) fell attempting a second successive six as Afridi held a difficult high catch at mid-wicket at 3-123.

Glenn Maxwell was dropped twice on his way to scoring 21 before the aggressive right-hander was caught at long-off to the bowling of 35-year-old debutant leggie Zulfiqar Babar.

Afridi removed James Faulker lbw for 11 at 5-196, after Faulkner’s video review was unsuccessful.

Smith reached his century off 115 balls with a push to mid-wicket and immediately gazed skywards, looking relieved and exhausted, before raising his bat to the dressing rooms.

Afridi (3-46) made the key breakthrough to remove Smith caught at long off and debutant Sean Abbott made three.

Australia named 22-year-old NSW quick Abbott for his debut with allrounder Mitchell Marsh unavailable because of a hamstring strain.

One-day great Dean Jones presented Abbott with his cap.

Left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty is set to join the squad ahead of Friday’s second one-day game in Dubai in place of Marsh.

The three-match series concludes in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

STEVE SMITH’S KEY NUMBERS

* Age: 25

* Home state: NSW

* ODI debut: Feb 19 2010 v West Indies at MCG

* ODI matches: 39

* Highest score: 101 v Pakistan at Sharjah on October 7 2014

* ODI career runs: 578 at 24.08.