Imam was in a hurry to reach his ton and, attacking the bowling, got an inside edge to Senuran Muthusamy's left-arm spin and was snagged at short leg by Tony de Zorzi's sharp catch.
Pakistan moved themselves into a strong position, needing eight wickets to win while South Africa are chasing an imposing target as the first Test headed for an exciting conclusion.
India captain Rohit Sharma has climbed to second place in the ICC men's ODI batting rankings, closing in on top-ranked Shubman Gill.
South Africa romped to an eight-wicket win over Pakistan on the fourth day of the second Test on Thursday, claiming victory before lunch to level the two-match series.
Pakistan selectors rule out T20 role for Babar, Rizwan and Afridi in near future
Focus firmly on match, India-Pakistan clash will be interesting: Kotak
Hesson wants Babar Azam and Rizwan back in T20 set up
Ashwin to bring YouTube crew, security as he set to make Big Bash League debut.
The seasoned Kiwi coach came under criticism from several former players such as Rashid Latif, Basit Ali, Mohsin Khan, Moin Khan, and Sikander Bakht when media reported said he had asked Babar to keep wickets in the shortest format.
Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha broke the silence about playing the format without the nation's batting bigwigs Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam.
The Instagram accounts of leading current and former Pakistani cricketers were blocked in India on Friday.
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has heaped praise on right-handed batsman Babar Azam, saying he is as good as swashbuckling Indian batsman Virat Kohli. During the recently concluded Hamilton Test against New Zealand which Pakistan lost by eight wickets, Azam scored an unbeaten 90 and Arthur says the former deserves the high praise.
'He is a really exciting talent and probably the guy I am looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I have seen the Aussies a lot and I have seen a lot of the Kiwis, but I am really excited to see him'
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam shared a brief yet significant exchange before Pakistan began their innings.
Former batter Basit Ali has expressed grave concerns over the deteriorating state of Pakistan cricket.
Rising star Babar Azam hit his third successive hundred to anchor Pakistan's 3-0 clean-sweep of the West Indies with a comfortable 136-run win in the third and final one-dayer on Wednesday. Azam smashed a 106-ball 117 while skipper Azah Ali returned to form with a 109-ball 101 as Pakistan compiled 308-6 before restricting West Indies to 172 in 44 overs on a flat Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch.
India and Bangladesh have two points each with Suryakumar Yadav's men leading the standings owing to a superior net run rate. Sri Lanka and Pakistan occupy the third and fourth spots respectively.
Shaheen Afridi also missed the last two Tests against England in October.
The Indians have not featured in ODIs in recent months but Kuldeep Yadav (650) and Ravindra Jadeja (616) still remained static at number three and number nine in the latest ODI rankings for bowlers.
K L Rahul blazed his way to a century against Gujarat Titans in Delhi on Sunday, etching his name in the record books despite his team's 10-wicket defeat.
'To get someone with Ashwin's credentials to come over here for the BBL will be great at so many levels.'
The source, however, disputed Fakhar's tone and said one of the newly inducted selectors, former captain Azhar Ali had spoken to length with Babar on Saturday and explained to him the decision to rest him for the two Tests.
Pakistan captain Muhammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been dropped from the T20 squad for the upcoming five-match series in New Zealand.
'Scoring those half-centuries and winning the trophy for India is indeed special.'
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his side will not hold back on aggression in the high-voltage Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on September 14.
Pakistan's T20 captain, Salman Ali Agha, remains optimistic despite his team's 1-4 series loss to New Zealand, believing the new faces tried out in the matches will eventually come through.
Zaheer, who scored 100 first class centuries in his career said that Babar needed to sit down and talk to his seniors.
Ravichandran Ashwin said on Tuesday that star Pakistan batter Babar Azam "should not be mentioned in the same line" as Indian icon Virat Kohli
Unless a player picks up an injury in training, India's team is expected to wear the same look against a Pakistan squad that are without top stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, lending it a look of youth and experience.
Under the shimmering floodlights and in front of a roaring partisan crowd, Virat Kohli unleashed his latest masterclass, blasting a 42-ball 70 to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a sensational 11-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Glenn Maxwell levelled with names like compatriots David Warner, Aaron Finch, the Indian legend Rohit Sharma and England's Jos Buttler, becoming the player with the joint-fourth-highest centuries in T20 cricket.
Admirer of Tendulkar, inspired by Pandya, UAE's Alishan Sharafu ready for India challenge in Asia Cup
Former captain Babar Azam, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah returned to the Pakistan team for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia.
Under Rohit Sharma, India won the 2018 and 2023 ODI Asia Cup, runners-up position in the 2023 World Cup at home and triumphed in the the ICC Champions Trophy in March.
Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has criticized Babar Azam for focusing on personal milestones over team success, expressing concerns about Pakistan's preparations ahead of their crucial Champions Trophy clash against India. He believes Pakistan's recent struggles, including a disappointing Tri-Nation Series campaign and a 1-1 draw against the West Indies in a home Test series, point to a lack of readiness for the India encounter.
Former Pakistan captain blamed frequent changes in the team's management, coaches, and players for the chaotic situation.
Abbas also acknowledged the consistency displayed by India across formats and said the Rohit Sharma-led team will be a strong contender for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Spinners of both sides will have a significant role to play considering that Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi are the only specialist pacers who will be seen in action in Sunday's match.
The kitty has become popular with viewers and has gone viral with one particular cheeky comment from Lahori Guy who tweeted: 'Black Cat contributed more in Karachi Stadium than Babar Azam.'
The 53-year-old said he had immense respect for some of the Indian players of his generation but never showed it on the field.
