Pakistan cruised to a series-winning six-wicket victory in the third one-day international in Rawalpindi yesterday after offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq, with a career-best five for 20, triggered an England collapse.

It was Pakistan's first defeat of England in a one-day series for 26 years after they lost the first game by five wickets.

Pakistan captain Moin Khan said the series victory would be a "big morale booster" for the forthcoming test series.

"We can win that series as well if we bat well and bowl as well . . . One thing we know is that the England batsmen have been exposed against quality spinners."

His England counterpart Nasser Hussain said his side's batting had not come up to expectation and they had fallen 70 runs short of setting a decent target.

Pakistan bowled out England for 158 in 42.5 overs and reached their target in 43.3 overs, making 161 for four.

Openers Imran Nazir and Shahid Afridi were dismissed with only nine runs on the board in the second over, but Salim Elahi and Inzamam-ul-Haq steadied the Pakistan ship by adding 42 for the third wicket.

Inzamam, who finished on 60 not out, added 77 for the fourth wicket with Yousuf Youhana (31) to put the result beyond doubt.

But it was man-of-the-match Saqlain, with his seventh five-wicket haul in one-day internationals, who decided the match as England failed for the second game running to work out how to play Pakistan spin.

On Friday it was leg-spinner Shahid Afridi who caused the problems, taking five for 40, and this time, on a wicket of low bounce and turn at the Pindi Stadium, the England batsmen found Saqlain almost impossible to deal with.

But for a seventh wicket stand of 47 between Mark Ealham and Graham Thorpe things could have been bleaker for the tourists. Thorpe made 39 and Ealham 23.