Pakistani openers Khurram Manzoor and Shan Masood scored confident half-centuries to lead a strong Pakistan reply against South Africa in the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Pakistan reached tea at 1-155 with Manzoor unbeaten on 72 after he added 135 for the first wicket with debutant Masood who fell after scoring 75.

Azhar Ali was the other not out batsman with seven as Pakistan trail South African first innings total of 249 by 94 runs.

In the morning South Africa were dismissed after adding just four runs to their overnight score of 8-245.

Manzoor and Masood batted with confidence to blunt a four-pronged South African pace attack on a lifeless Sheik Zayed Stadium pitch, reaching 0-77 at lunch.

Both the openers dominated the bowling and not even the lone regular spinner Robin Peterson could disturb them.

Masood was the first to reach his maiden half-century, off 102 balls while Manzoor reached his sixth fifty – third in a row in Tests – off 96 deliveries.

Masood finally fell, leg-before to part-timer Jean-Paul Duminy after hitting eight boundaries off 140 balls.

This becomes Pakistan’s first century stand since Taufiq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez put on 114 against England in Dubai in January last year, ten Tests earlier.

The Masood-Khurram pair is Pakistan’s sixth different combination in seven Tests as they struggled to find a solid pair for several years.

Earlier, Mohammad Irfan (3-44) dismissed centurion Hashim Amla off the second ball of the day after South Africa resumed at 245-8.

Amla, who made 118, edged one sharp Irfan delivery straight into the hands of slip where Younis Khan held a regulation catch. He hit 13 boundaries off 252 balls and held the South African innings on Monday.

With the catch Younis equalled Javed Miandad’s all-time Test catches record for Pakistan with 93. Miandad reached the tally in 124 Tests but Younis was quicker in 85 matches.