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JAIPUR, India - Skipper Shoaib Malik top-scored with 89 and took three wickets as Pakistan defeated India by 31 runs in the fifth and final cricket one-dayer today.
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.
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 fifty 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.
Malik had the 20-year-old Sharma caught at long on before Yuvraj was controversially given out caught behind off Umar Gul by umpire Suresh Sharma. He reluctantly walked away and television replays suggested the ball had grazed his shoulder.
India suffered an injury setback to skipper Mahendra Dhoni before Yuvraj's dismissal after the keeper twisted his ankle going for a run. He called for a runner before he was out for 24.
Irfan Pathan hit 43 to narrow the margin of defeat.
Malik and Yousuf sparked the Pakistan turnaround until both were stumped.
Malik, 25, hoisted occasional spinner Virender Sehwag and left-arm spinner Murali Kartik for sixes in his 82-ball knock until he was deceived by a straighter delivery from Kartik.
Yousuf fell in almost identical fashion at the other end against Yuvraj's left-arm spin. His third fifty of the series helped him to aggregate 284 runs averaging 94.6.
Sreesanth returned three for 52.
- REUTERS
