Pakistan's best opening stand against Australia for 27 years is giving the hosts a strong chance of winning their first series over the same opponents in a decade. Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed began soundly but gathered momentum with each wicketless over to reach 124 for 0 after 25 overs in Sharjah.

Hafeez's half century is his first against Australia, its highlight so far a stinging straight six off James Pattinson. Jamshed's innings has been more circumspect than he managed in game two, but is the ideal display to prevent the sort of panicky Pakistan innings that developed on this ground in the series opener.

None of Australia's bowlers have made enough of an impact, leaving open the question of why Michael Clarke's team have ignored their specialist spinner Xavier Doherty throughout the series. Pakistan have picked no fewer than four spinners for the match, recalling Shahid Afridi after a back complaint.

Bolstered by happy memories of game one when they had topped and tailed the Pakistan innings, Pattinson and Mitchell Starc took the new ball with some intent. Starc looked a little short of rhythm and comfort having shrugged off a side/chest complaint to take part, but Australia's opening duo made Jamshed and Hafeez work hard in the early overs.

Both batsmen top edged attempted hook shots and were fortunate to see their respective strokes fall safely. Nonetheless, the shots signalled their ambition, even as a sluggish pitch, slow outfield and tidy Australian fielding made scoring difficult.

Gradually, Hafeez and Jamshed wrested the initiative, seeing off a useful spell by Mitchell Johnson and profiting more from the rest. The allrounder Dan Christian shelled a difficult return catch when Hafeez was 26, but it was the only hint of a chance offered by the openers as they strode to Pakistan's first century opening stand against Australia in ODIs since 1985.

Jamshed's innings was a worthy follow-up to his match-shaping innings in Abu Dhabi, while Hafeez was finally showing the Australians the worth of his batting after some years of underachievement. The six off Pattinson was a particularly compelling reminder.

A win for Pakistan would hand them a first ODI series win over Australia since a victory down under in 2002.