Pakistan were 176-4 at tea on the fifth day of the third Test in Karachi on Monday as they tried to prevent the history books being rewritten.

Australia's last series win in Pakistan was when Richie Benaud's team beat Fazal Mahmood's Pakistan 2-0 in 1959-60.

Ejaz Ahmed (78) and Moin Khan (53) rescued Pakistan from a precarious position of 75-4 with a 101-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Both Ejaz and Moin were dropped, Ejaz by Mark Talor off Glenn McGrath when he was two and Moin on 30 when Mark Waugh spilled a catch in the slips off Stuart MacGill.

Earlier in the morning, Pakistan started chasing a virtually impossible target of 419, but were reeling at 40-3 after one hour's play.

Australia's Colin Miller captured three wickets in 22 balls.

Following a graceful century by Mark Waugh on Sunday, Australia set Pakistan a challenging target of 419 to win.

Pakistan, who trail 1-0 in the series after losing the first Test at Rawalpindi by an innings and 99 runs, have never chased such a high target.

The highest they have achieved is 315 against Australia at the same ground four years ago when they won by one wicket.

Waugh finds form

Waugh was in prime form after struggling earlier in the series. His innings was punctuated with nine boundaries and a six off 232 balls after 335 minutes of batting.

Mark Waugh: 15th Test century

Waugh, who scored his 15th century in 81Tests and second against Pakistan, finally departed when he was beaten in the air by debutant Shakeel Ahmad for an easy stumping by Moin Khan.

Shakeel, wicketless in the first innings, finished with impressive figures of four for 91 from 29.3 overs.

Arshad Khan bowled 56 overs in Australia's second innings to capture the wickets of Australia's openers, conceding 141 runs and ending with figures of 97-5.

Waugh, who also got his best against Pakistan, was involved in three half-century partnerships.

He added 56 runs for the fourth wicket with his twin brother Steve (28), 76 for the fifth wicket with Darren Lehmann (26) and 63 for the seventh wicket with Gavin Robertson.

But it was the seventh-wicket partnership which ended Pakistan's hopes of levelling the series as Gavin Robertson frustrated the Pakistani bowlers for two hours before being the last man out.

He had come on shortly after tea when Steve Waugh and Ian Healy went in the space of 19 balls to leave Australia at 294 for six.

Robertson scored an attractive 45 that included 17 runs in an over of Arshad Khan.

Australia's innings got a further boost from Mark Taylor's 68 and Justin Langer's 51.

Langer, dropped by Moin Khan when 50, was run out while attempting a risky single with Mark Waugh.