Younis Khan hit a stellar double hundred while skipper Misbah-ul-Haq also joined the run-feast with his sixth Test century as Pakistan tightened their grip on the second and final test against Australia on Friday.

Younis, who hit twin centuries in Pakistan’s comprehensive victory in the first test in Dubai, tormented Australia again with a marathon 213, his fifth double hundred, which helped him pass the 8000-Test run mark in the process.

The right-hander added 236 runs for the third wicket with Azhar Ali (109) and another 181 with Misbah (101) for the fourth as Pakistan declared their first innings at 570 for six and decided to have a go at their opponents in the fading light. They were duly rewarded with the wicket of Chris Rogers (five) who edged an Imran Khan delivery and was caught behind in the penultimate over of the day.

David Warner, who hit Khan for three boundaries in the first over, was on 16 with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon on one at the close, leaving Australia facing an uphill task to save the match. The visitors were still 548 runs behind their opponents who inched closer towards securing their first Test series win against Australia in 20 years. To make matters worse for Australia, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin hurt his shoulder trying to take a catch and left the field for a second time in the final session.

The day belonged to Younis, who lived a charmed life and hit 15 boundaries and two sixes before a Peter Siddle delivery pegged back his middle stump. Mitchell Starc claimed the lone wicket of the morning session when Azhar Ali tickled a delivery and Australia’s stop-gap keeper Warner dived to his left to take a smart catch. There was no respite for them, however, as Misbah joined Younus to milk the Australian bowling attack which looked ragged on the flat track at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Even their fielding lacked its characteristic sharpness, best demonstrated by the miserable day Warner endured. Otherwise a brilliant fielder, he first dropped Younis at gully and then missed a stumping opportunity. He could not latch on to a half-chance at slip either after Misbah had flashed at a Lyon delivery.

Younis was lucky when he edged Siddle and the ball fell just short of Haddin, who dived and landed awkwardly on his shoulder. Haddin carried on for another couple of overs before departing, leaving the keeping duties to Warner. He did return after lunch but looked in pain and went off for a second time after the third new ball was taken.

Aided by the reprieves, Younis negotiated the pacemen with aplomb and used his feet against the spinners, often charging out as he did to hit Glenn Maxwell over the long-on boundary. Misbah also helped himself to his third century at the venue before Steve Smith caught him off his own bowling. Misbah’s 101 came off 168 balls and included 10 fours and a six off Lyon.

Brief scores: Pakistan first innings 570/6 decl (Y Khan 213, A Ali 109, Misbah-ul Haq 101). Australia first innings 22/1 in 5.2 overs (I Khan 1/18)