JAIPUR, India (Reuters):

Skipper Shoaib Malik top-scored with 89 and took three wickets as Pakistan defeated India by 31 runs in the fifth and final one-dayer yesterday.

Pakistan amassed 306 for six wickets after being asked to bat first and then bowled out India for 275 with a ball to spare in the day-night game. India won the series 3-2.

"We were disappointed in losing the series, but this win is crucial and will boost the morale of the players," Malik, named the Man-of-the-Match, told reporters.

"The team won and my performance was good. It can't be better."

Struggles

Indian skipper Dhoni said the early strikes by Tanvir left his team struggling and praised Malik and Yousuf.

"Pakistan exploited the conditions," he said. "Our top-order batsmen played the kind of shots they would not on a normal day."

Malik, under fire for his batting and captaincy, played a flawless innings and then claimed 3-61 bowling off-spin to seal the morale-boosting win four days before the first Test. Earlier, he added 168 runs for the fourth wicket with Mohammad Yousuf, who scored 74 for his third half-century of the series, after paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth had taken the first three wickets to fall.

Left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir then grabbed three early wickets in the absence of the rested Shoaib Akhtar to leave India struggling at 62 for four in the 12th over. He removed openers Gautam Gambhir (12), Sachin Tendulkar (30) and Virender Sehwag (10) in an incisive spell before finishing with four for 53.

Rohit Sharma top-scored with 52 for his maiden one-day 50 and led the fightback by raising 81 runs for the fifth wicket with Yuvraj Singh (50), who made his fourth half-century of the series.