Younis Khan struck a superb unbeaten 115 to put Pakistan in a dominant position at stumps on day two of the third Test against England.
After bowling Pakistan out for just 99 on the opening day in Dubai, England also struggled with the bat to reach 104-6.
They added just 37 runs on the second morning before they were bowled out for 141, before Younis and Azhar Ali (75 not out) put on an unbeaten 194 for the third wicket to lead Pakistan to 222-2 at stumps.
England skipper Andrew Strauss was unbeaten on 41 when play resumed and with him at the crease, they always had a chance of scoring around 200.
But his assignment was made tougher when Jimmy Anderson was bowled for four by Abdur Rehman (5-40) in the first over of the day.
Stuart Broad (four) did not last long either before Rehman snared his five-for when he had Strauss stumped for 56.
Graeme Swann (16) was the last man to fall, becoming the third victim of Saeed Ajmal (3-59), as England were bowled out for a score that gave them just a 42-run lead after the first innings.
Strauss' men would have been hoping for a bigger lead than that and they were made to pay by a determined Pakistan batting line-up.
England enjoyed some initial success though, with Taufeeq Umar (6) and Mohammad Hafeez (21) falling cheaply.
But those dismissals brought Younis and Ali together and they frustrated England's bowlers immensely as they survived 72 overs at the crease together.
Younis hit 11 fours and one six in his 195-ball 115 - which surprisingly was the first Test century of the series.
Ali was much more defensive in his approach, hitting just three fours in his 246-ball knock.
Anderson (1-24 from 16 overs) and Monty Panesar (1-84 off 33) took the wickets for England while the likes of Stuart Broad (0-38 off 12) and Graeme Swann (0-58 off 19) toiled hard.