The opener Salman Butt's eventful 72 steered Pakistan as they made a handy start to reach 3 for 123 after 25 overs in the opening ODI in Brisbane.
Butt guided the innings after Mohammad Yousuf won the toss and put on 62 for the first wicket with the recalled Kamran Akmal before joining forces with Younis Khan.
After working his way to his fifty, which came from 63 balls, Butt expanded his repertoire and lifted three boundaries over the infield off Nathan Hauritz and Clint McKay. McKay was launched above mid-off twice in the same over after being charged by Butt, who followed with a neat glance to the boundary.
Butt had some good fortune with edges off Shane Watson and Peter Siddle that escaped the catchers behind the wicket and went for boundaries. He backed up a nick off Siddle that Cameron White couldn't hold at first slip with a strong pull off Siddle for four, one of 12 in his collection.
He dominated the partnership with Younis, who scored 8 of the 55 for the second wicket, but fell to his 81st ball when he top edged a pull off Doug Bollinger and was well caught by Brad Haddin. Yousuf (2) quickly followed when he played on to a steepling delivery from Bollinger, which hit his glove, bounced into the pitch and then landed on top of the bails. Younis came in for his first match since giving up the captaincy and was struggling with the added intensity, scratching to 11 off 27.
Akmal was back in the team after his problems with the gloves in the Sydney Test and provided Pakistan with a boost during a run-a-ball 34. He hit a couple of smart boundaries through cover and was good support for Butt before his miscued drive off Watson was taken by Michael Clarke at cover.
Hauritz was called in the 12th over by Ricky Ponting and got some bounce but no breakthroughs. While Pakistan enjoyed the conditions, the Australians had less support than usual with a small crowd in attendance.
