start, shrugging off a poor run of batting form which had yielded just 15 runs in his previous seven international innings, including five noughts.
He went to his second Test fifty off 73 balls and went on to pass his previous best score of 61 against Bangladesh in Dhaka ten years ago.
De Villiers fell to Mohammad Irfan for 61 in the first over with the second new ball after a seventh wicket stand of 46 with Peterson. But Peterson and Philander (22) added an innings-best 67 for the eighth wicket.
The last two wickets brought another 49 runs before Peterson was last out, caught on the long-on boundary off Mohammad Hafeez.
Peterson made his 84 runs off 106 balls with 15 fours.
The tall Irfan, playing in his first Test, took three for 86 and troubled the batsmen with steep bounce. (AFP) PDS PM
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