South Africa, eyeing a series-levelling victory, needed five more wickets on Saturday to beat Pakistan in the second Test in Dubai.
Pakistan reached tea at 5-274 on the fourth day.
South Africa bagged the prized wicket of captain Misbah-ul Haq on 88 after he frustrated them during a 197-run fifth-wicket stand having resumed at 4-132.
At the break, Asad Shafiq was unbeaten on 114 and wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal not out one, with Pakistan still needing 144 to avoid an innings defeat.
South Africa had taken a 418-run lead by scoring a mammoth 517 in their first innings in reply to Pakistan’s 99 all out.
When it looked like Misbah would guide Pakistan towards safety, he fell to a smart move by South African captain Graeme Smith, who brought on part-timer Dean Elgar to bowl.
In the left-arm slow bowler’s second over, Misbah’s miscued drive was well caught by Jacques Kallis, ending a 349-minute vigil. Misbah hit six boundaries and a six off 218 balls.
Shafiq reached his hundred with a superb on-drive off Jean-Paul Duminy for his 11th boundary to complete his second hundred against South Africa. He had hit 12 fours and a six off 268 balls at tea.
The day began with the news that South Africa’s Faf du Plessis had been fined 50 per cent of his match fee on ball tampering charges by Australia match referee David Boon.
On Friday, the 29-year-old South African was caught by television cameras rubbing the ball on the zip of a trouser pocket in an apparent move to change the condition of the ball.
Boon held a hearing later on Friday during which Du Plessis pleaded guilty. He became the first South African punished for ball tampering in international cricket.