Pakistan's sloppy fielding and poor hearing helped centurion Steve Smith march Australia to 3-288 at stumps on day one of the day-night Test in Brisbane.
A masterful captain's knock of 110 not out from Smith, combined with half-centuries by young guns Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb, put the hosts on top at the Gabba.
Smith, who opted to bat and named an unchanged XI, steadied in style after David Warner and Usman Khawaja departed in consecutive overs.
Australia slipped to 2-75 late in Thursday's opening session, leaving the game in the balance.
Smith responded with the 16th Test ton of his career, although he was dropped on 53 in the final over before dinner by keeper Sarfraz Ahmed.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Smith also had a bizarre reprieve on 97, when he feathered an edge to Sarfraz but none of the tourists appealed.
"I walked into the dressing room quickly (after stumps) and he was saying he smashed it," Renshaw said.
"That's a bit of a surprise, that nobody went up really."
Azhar Ali suggested none of the tourists "really noticed anything".
"None of our guys went up even slightly," Azhar said.
"It was one of the situations where nobody realised what happened. Sometimes it does happen ... a bit of luck for the batsman."
Azhar also lamented the chance put down off his own bowling.
"It would have been a wonderful wicket .. it could have changed the game a little bit," he said.
"We all know he's a very good batsman and was quite well set.
"But these things happen and we have to go on and look forward."
Renshaw scored 71 in his first home Test, with Handscomb to resume on 64 amid high hopes of posting his maiden Test century.
"They played beautifully," Smith said.
"(Pakistan) probably bowled a fraction short, so we have to learn from that.
"We're in a good position ... I love getting hundreds. I love batting at the Gabba."
Smith's second chance came in Pakistan's first over with the second new ball, which was delivered by Mohammad Amir.
Amir was responsible for a couple of costly errors in the field, including one in the 70th over that appeared to result in a serious knee injury.
The left-armer grimaced and was taken to the rooms on a motorised stretcher after digging his knee into the turf while sliding to stop a ball.
Commentators predicted it was a series-ending injury, but Amir returned to field and bowl soon after.
"He's feeling much, much better," Azhar said.
Amir regularly challenged Smith in his final spell but couldn't stop the in-form batsman scoring his first ton in a pink-ball Test.
It was also Smith's maiden Test century against Pakistan, leaving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe as the only Test sides yet to be on the receiving end of a Smith hundred.
It was a watchful innings, particularly when the right-hander negotiated the second new ball and spent 28 deliveries in the nervous nineties.
"They offer the insights you don't normally get, having their experience out here is amazing," Renshaw said, when asked about batting with Warner and Smith.
