India had enjoyed the better of the series so far, winning the first two ODIs, but the momentum began to shift with the third ODI, in Jamshedpur.
Pakistan chose to bat, having won the toss. Despite losing Shahid Afridi for 17, fellow opener Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik put them in a strong position with a stand of 145 for the second wicket, scored at almost a run a ball.
Malik went first, for 75, including two sixes and four fours. Butt then combined with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, putting on 43 more before Inzamam fell for 23.
Butt and Mohammad Yousuf added 20 more before Butt was run out for 101. He had struck 10 fours. Yousuf went on to make 43 off 31 balls, and the tail helped Pakistan reach 319/9 from their 50 overs.
Ashish Nehra was the best of the Indian bowlers with 3-57.
India made a terrible start to their reply. They were soon 20/3, with Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly back in the pavilion.
M.S. Dhoni and Rahul Dravid had both starred recently with bat, but they could not repeat those feats this time. Both fell for 28.
It was left to Mohammad Kaif and Irfan Pathan to mount some resistance, with a seventh-wicket stand worth 61, before Kaif was out for 32.
When Harbhajan Singh was out cheaply soon after, it looked like the innings will soon be over, but Irfan and No. 10 Zaheer Khan delayed the inevitable with a partnership of 52.
Ifran, though, fell for 64, having hit four sixes and two fours. Although Khan, who managed two sixes of his own, was unbeaten in the end on 27, India were still bowled out for 213 in the 42dn over.
Naved-ul-Hasan claimed the Player of the Match award for his 6-27. Pakistan winning by 106 runs.