A nervy South Africa slumped to 27-3 when bad light brought play to an early close on a rain-delayed third day, still 121 runs shy of victory in the first Test against Pakistan at Centurion.

The home side is chasing a modest target of 148 after bowling out Pakistan for 237.

However, Pakistan kept their own hopes of victory alive as they took three wickets in the opening nine overs of South Africa’s second innings, with Mohammad Abbas taking two wickets and Khurram Shahzad the third, as Tony de Zorzi (2), Ryan Rickleton (0) and Tristan Stubbs (1) were all trapped leg before wicket.

Aiden Markram, who top scored for the hosts in the first innings, will resume on 22 not out, alongside skipper Temba Bavuma, when play resumes on Sunday.

South Africa fast bowler Marco Jansen helped put the brakes on Pakistan’s attempted fightback earlier in the day as the tourists were 212 runs for eight wickets at tea, with only a slim 122-run lead.

Saud Shakeel top scored with 84, before being undone by a full toss from Jansen, but his dismissal was unlucky in contrast to a raft of injudicious shots that saw his teammates get out.

Jansen took three wickets in four overs to complete a five-wicket haul while Dane Paterson and Kagiso Rabada grabbed a wicket each on Saturday to hand the hosts the advantage after Pakistan had made a positive start to the day’s play.

Shakeel and Babar Azam both scored fifties to overturn a two-run deficit at the start of play, which was delayed until after lunch because of a passing rainstorm.

Babar scored his first fifty in his last 20 Test innings in a much-needed return to form, while Shakeel continued where he left off from their last Test against England as Pakistan overhauled South Africa’s 90-run first-innings lead and looked to set their hosts a testing target.

They were 153-3 and beginning to unnerve their hosts before a raft of injudicious shots saw them lose wickets and momentum.

Babar had moved briskly from 16 not out overnight to 50 but was then tempted into swinging at a short and wide delivery in Jansen’s first over and caught by Corbin Bosch on the boundary.

Mohammad Rizwan then also gave away his wicket cheaply, out for three after gloving a wayward delivery down leg to be snagged by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and Jansen’s third wicket of the day brought up his five-for, as Salman Ali Agha drove at only the third ball he faced and edged behind.

Aamer Jamal was dismissed some 10 minutes before tea for 18 as he could not resist attempting to pull a short delivery from Paterson and was caught by Ryan Rickelton. Naseem Shah followed without scoring, after nicking Rabada to the slips.

South Africa is chasing a win to secure a place in next year’s World Test Championship final although if they do not win, they have another opportunity in the second test against Pakistan, which starts at Newlands in Cape Town on January 3.