KARACHI, MARCH 16

Australia captain Pat Cummins dismissed Abdullah Shafique for 96 to end the batsman's marathon 228-run stand with Babar Azam and boost the tourists' chances of winning the second test against Pakistan on Wednesday.

Abdullah and Babar batted nearly 87 overs together in a spectacular rearguard to keep Pakistan afloat chasing a record victory target of 506 at the National Stadium.

Cummins struck in the penultimate over before the lunch break to separate them and Pakistan were 254-3 on the final day of the contest.

Babar, who completed his sixth test hundred on Tuesday, soldiered on to be unbeaten on 133, which included 15 boundaries.

Fawad Alam was batting on three at the other end with Pakistan still 252 behind the target with two sessions to go.

Earlier, Australia began the final day needing eight wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-test series.

Pakistan, on the other hand, required 314 runs in 90 overs to pull off test cricket's greatest chase or, alternatively, bat out three sessions to force a draw.

Mitchell Starc's reverse swing had tormented Pakistan in the first innings and the left-arm quick resumed Australia's efforts to end the Babar-Abdullah stand.

Starc and Cummins could not succeed immediately and Babar greeted Mitchell Swepson with back-to-back fours when the leg spinner was introduced into the attack.

Cummins finally broke the stand when he induced Abdullah into a drive and Steve Smith, who had dropped the opener on 20 on Tuesday, took a waist-high catch at slip.

Abdullah hit six fours and a six during his 305-ball vigil.