He marked his country's call for the decisive final match of the series by dismissing the Waugh twins in three balls. Ten balls later, he bowled Darren Lehmann for a first day haul of three for 37.

The left-arm spinner and attacking One-day opener was a last-minute replacement for the ill Saeed Anwar.

Pakistan, 0-1 down, have not lost a home series to Australia since 1959-60. Nor have they tasted defeat in a Karachi Test in 44 years -- 32 games.

Australia suffered another body blow after Afridi's demolition when opener Michael Slater fell just four runs short of his ninth Test century. He was smartly stumped by Moin Khan off the recalled Arshad Khan for 96.

Slater, who reached 3,000 Test runs when he had made 52, was hit twice on the temple in the first session when Wasim Akram gave him a barrage of bouncers. Afridi, aveteran of 66 One-day internationals, accounted for Mark Waugh (26) off a brilliant catch by Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Two balls later, he left Steve Waugh (0) stranded in front of the wickets off a faster one.

Lehmann (3) dragged the ball on to his stumps while trying to play a forceful drive.

Mark Taylor, electing to bat on a slow and turning pitch, was the first to go. Australia's captain, who made 334 not out and 92 in the drawn second Test, tried to pull a delivery from Arshad and was caught at mid-wicket by Inzamam.

Justin Langer was the only Pakistan success in the post-lunch session when he was trapped in front off Shoaib Akhtar. Langer (30) put on 67 for the second wicket with Slater in 117 minutes.

The third wicket partnership between Slater and Mark Waugh yielded 64 in 117 minutes. But the dismissal of Waugh triggered a collapse as Australia lost their last four wickets in a space of 38 runs.

SCOREBOARD

Australia (1st innings): M Taylor c Inzamam b Arshad Khan 16, M Slater st Moin bArshad 96, J Langer lbw Akhtar 30, M Waugh c Inzamam b Afridi 26, S Waugh lbw Afridi 0, D Lehmann b Afridi 3, I Healy batting 14, G Robertson batting 4; Extras (b1, lb8, nb9) 18.

Total (for six wickets) 207.

Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-105, 3-169, 4-169, 5-179, 6-189.

Bowling: Wasim Akram 11-1-34-0, Shoaib Akhtar 9.2-3-26-1, Shakeel Ahmad 21.4-8-43-0, Arshad Khan 34-13-58-2, Shahid Afridi 15-5-37-3.