<p>Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam hit fighting half-centuries Wednesday to lead Pakistan's resistance against South Africa on the second day of the opening Test in Karachi.</p>.<p>Alam was holding fort on 63 as Pakistan reached 178 for six at tea, trailing South Africa's first innings total by 42 runs.</p>.<p>Playing his first Test at home, Alam was rock-solid as he added 94 with former skipper Azhar for the fifth wicket, leaving South Africa without a scalp in the first session.</p>.<p>The other batsman at the crease was Faheem Ashraf, who was yet to score.</p>.<p>South Africa's pace and spin attack toiled hard after the hosts resumed on a precarious 33 for four.</p>.<p>Pakistan added 71 in the first session before spinner Keshav Maharaj broke through by dismissing Azhar, caught behind by Quinton de Kock.</p>.<p>Azhar struck four boundaries in his 151-ball knock.</p>.<p>Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and Alam added another 55 for the sixth wicket before the former was caught at slip off paceman Lungi Ngidi.</p>.<p>It was a hard going for South Africa in the first session.</p>.<p>Kagiso Rabada, who took two wickets for just eight runs late Tuesday, looked threatening in his six-over spell, but Azhar and Alam batted cautiously to take Pakistan past 100.</p>.<p>Both batsmen survived scares, with left-arm spinner George Linde coming close to trapping Azhar leg-before on 29 -- the umpire's not-out decision upheld on review.</p>.<p>Alam was dropped on 35 by Dean Elgar, who failed to hold a sharp edge off spinner Keshav Maharaj in the slips.</p>.<p>The two-match series marks South Africa's first trip to Pakistan in 14 years, after a deadly 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's team halted visits by foreign sides.</p>
<p>Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam hit fighting half-centuries Wednesday to lead Pakistan's resistance against South Africa on the second day of the opening Test in Karachi.</p>.<p>Alam was holding fort on 63 as Pakistan reached 178 for six at tea, trailing South Africa's first innings total by 42 runs.</p>.<p>Playing his first Test at home, Alam was rock-solid as he added 94 with former skipper Azhar for the fifth wicket, leaving South Africa without a scalp in the first session.</p>.<p>The other batsman at the crease was Faheem Ashraf, who was yet to score.</p>.<p>South Africa's pace and spin attack toiled hard after the hosts resumed on a precarious 33 for four.</p>.<p>Pakistan added 71 in the first session before spinner Keshav Maharaj broke through by dismissing Azhar, caught behind by Quinton de Kock.</p>.<p>Azhar struck four boundaries in his 151-ball knock.</p>.<p>Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and Alam added another 55 for the sixth wicket before the former was caught at slip off paceman Lungi Ngidi.</p>.<p>It was a hard going for South Africa in the first session.</p>.<p>Kagiso Rabada, who took two wickets for just eight runs late Tuesday, looked threatening in his six-over spell, but Azhar and Alam batted cautiously to take Pakistan past 100.</p>.<p>Both batsmen survived scares, with left-arm spinner George Linde coming close to trapping Azhar leg-before on 29 -- the umpire's not-out decision upheld on review.</p>.<p>Alam was dropped on 35 by Dean Elgar, who failed to hold a sharp edge off spinner Keshav Maharaj in the slips.</p>.<p>The two-match series marks South Africa's first trip to Pakistan in 14 years, after a deadly 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's team halted visits by foreign sides.</p>