The visitors were chasing 490 and resumed on the final day at 8-382.

Pakistan looked like going on with it with Asad Shafiq and Yasir Shah combining strongly throughout the first hour before the former was dismissed by Starc for 137.

Shah was run-out by Smith on 33, leaving Pakistan just 39 runs short of victory.

Smith, who dropped two crucial catches in the slips, said he was ecstatic at how the Australians rallied as victory hung in the balance.  

“Things got a little too close for my liking, but credit has to go to Starcy (Mitchell Starc),” he said.

“He really stepped up today and got us that key scalp. I thought it was an amazing game of cricket and credit has to go to Pakistan. They scored 450 in the last innings of a pink ball Test match and no doubt pink ball Test cricket is here to stay.”

Smith, a normally extremely reliable slips fielder, said he may need a bit of practice over the Christmas break.

“Yeah, look, I need a slips cradle for Christmas this week or something like that to work on a few things,” he joked.

“I do pride myself on my fielding and it was disappointing to have dropped a few catches last night and allow the Pakistani’s back into the game.

“Things could have certainly happened a lot quicker had I held on to those. I need to continue to work hard as leader of this team on my fielding. We set high standards so we have got to keep working hard.”