Azhar Ali has again proved a thorn in the side of Australia, with his 185 putting Pakistan in complete control of the Rawalpindi Test.

The last time Pakistan played Australia in a Test match, Azhar Ali admitted his country's pride had been hurt by the 2-0 series flogging.

Come this week in Rawalpindi, the veteran ensured there will be no repeat issues.

So often a thorn in Australia's side, the right-hander proved to be so again on Saturday when he brought up his 19th Test century after lunch.

For the most part he was watchful, taking 257 balls to pass 100 when he jumped down the deck and took on Nathan Lyon.

When the ball just cleared Mitchell Swepson at mid-on, Azhar kissed the Rawalpindi pitch where Pakistan have ended their 24-year wait to again host Australia.

"The plan was there that we make the first innings count and make sure that we bat long in the first innings," Azhar said.

"Sometimes you have to give credit to Australian bowlers and how they bowled. They came up with a lot of intent and didn't let us score freely."

Then he set about ramming home the advantage for his team.

His next 85 runs included six boundaries and another two sixes, sending Lyon well over the rope with a booming sweep shot and the biggest hit of the innings.

By the time the 37-year-old fell trying to reverse sweep Marnus Labuschagne on 185, his job was well and truly done as Pakistan declared at 4-476 shortly afterwards.

His century came a day after Imam-ul-Haq chalked up his maiden Test ton, with the pair combining for a 208-run second-wicket stand that lasted just short of 87 overs.

Only bad light undid some of his work, with Australia escaping with just facing one over of spin with the new ball before players were taken from the field.

Regardless, Azhar's knock is a far cry from the pain of the 2019-20 tour, where he failed to pass 10 in three of his four innings and Pakistan were beaten by an innings in both Tests.

"We are a proud cricketing nation and definitely our pride has been hurt," Azhar said after the series.

Azhar's love affair with Australia's bowlers began in 2014, when he hit twin tons in the second Test in Abu Dhabi as part of his team's series win.

He then hit an unbeaten 205 in the 2016 Boxing Day Test, and let another hundred slip on Australia's tour to Asia in 2018 when he was run out for 64 thinking a ball had reached the boundary.