Amla's 118 not out and Kallis's unbeaten 135 helped South Africa declare its second innings on 318-2, while Pakistan was left needing another 342 runs to win at stumps. The partnership was South Africa's highest for a third wicket against Pakistan, surpassing the 207 in Lahore in 2007 between Kallis and Graeme Smith.

At close, Pakistan had reached 109-2 in its second innings at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Past statistics are not encouraging for its hopes of victory. The most Pakistan has managed in the fourth innings of a test match is 341-9 against West Indies in 1988, while its highest successful run chase was 315-9 against Australia in 1994.

Openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar started Pakistan's reply off cautiously, putting on 41 runs for the first wicket.

However, Hafeez (34) poked at a fairly wide delivery from Dale Steyn that bounced a bit more than usual and Johan Botha took the catch at first slip. Umar took his time to settle but a rush of blood saw him slash away at a Botha delivery and Kallis took a diving catch at first slip to send the left-hander back for 22 runs.

Steyn managed to catch Azhar Ali off guard in the penultimate over of the day but the ball rapped his wrist bone and flew off over first slip for a boundary.

Earlier, Kallis and Amla matched each other in shotmaking on a flat pitch that had shown signs of turn on the first day.

Kallis, who became the fifth highest run-getter in tests with his first innings knock of 73, was particularly severe on Saeed Ajmal, hitting him for three sixes before adding another off Abdur Rehman.

Kallis was dropped on 122 by Umar at fine leg when he tried to slog a straight delivery from Ajmal.

Amla survived a half-chance in a leg before appeal off Ajmal and was dropped by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal off Rehman's bowling while on 56 and 84 respectively.