South African cricketer Hashim Amlal left, keeps his eye on the ball as India's captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni looks on during Sunday's match. (ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images)

Fast bowler Morne Morkel took four wickets and finally ended Yusuf Pathan's brilliant fightback as South Africa claimed a 3-2 series win over India with victory in the fifth one-day international on Sunday.

The Proteas rode another strong comeback from India — inspired by Pathan's powerful 105 from 70 balls — to eventually seal a 33 run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method in the series-decider at SuperSport Park.

Pathan smashed a 68-ball century and combined with Zaheer Khan (24) for a ground record 100-run partnership for the ninth wicket to drag India from 118-8 to within sight of a first-ever series win in South Africa.

But Morkel forced Yusuf to finally mistime a big shot after he had hammered eight sixes and eight fours and India fell short of its revised victory target of 268 in 46 overs.

The tourists were all out for 234 in 40.2 overs, with opener Parthiv Patel's 38 the second best score for India after Pathan. Khan was last man out when he was caught by Morkel off Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Morkel finished with 4-52 off eight overs to secure the man of the series award. Dale Steyn had 2-32 and South Africa captain Graeme Smith celebrated success in his final home series in charge of the Proteas one-day team.

Smith will step down from the role after the World Cup starting Feb. 19.

Man of the match Hashim Amla had earlier batted through South Africa's rain-interrupted innings for 116 not out in the home team's 250-9.

South Africa ripped through India's top order, leaving the visitors at 60-5 and 98-7 before Pathan nearly gave the closely fought series one final twist.

"It was a lot closer than I thought it would be," Smith said. "Pathan was incredible. He hits the ball so sweetly and when he's on a roll he's so hard to stop.

"I think we have learned some important lessons in this series. It's been hard cricket and we have had to play well."

India's bowlers had taken advantage of a 78-minute rain delay near the end of South Africa's innings. They took six wickets for just 24 runs in four overs after the players came back out as South Africa went from 226-3 to 250-9 after the match was reduced to 46 overs per side.

Patel was India's only top-five batsman to reach double figures.

Rohit Sharma was out for 5, rising star Virat Kohli made only 2, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit 5 after promoting himself to No. 4 and Yuvraj Singh was caught for 8.

"The whole tour was good for both sides and it was good cricket but our batting department didn't perform in the series," Dhoni said. "260-odd, we should have got that. But I guess the biggest positive out of this game is that we have learnt that in the last 10 overs we can chase anything."

Pathan's aggression nearly brought India its first series win over the Proteas in South Africa — in either tests or ODIs — as he battered South Africa's spinners to all parts of the ground.

His run of sixes included a reverse sweep over the ropes off slow left-armer Robin Peterson in the 21st over, then a huge hit over midwicket off legspinner Faf du Plessis' first ball. Pathan also smashed two sixes and two fours off Tsotsobe in the 35th over to race to his third one-day century with an awesome display of power hitting.

Pathan and Khan passed 89 for the ninth wicket for a new ground record, and the 100-run partnership came up in 76 balls — with the dominant Pathan hitting 79 of the runs.

Morkel earlier had Khan caught off a top edge and thought he'd ended the partnership at 139-9, but the TV umpire ruled he had overstepped and Khan returned to the crease after walking off when a no ball was called. It was Morkel's only no ball of the series.

It cost South Africa another 80 runs before Smith turned to Morkel for his third spell and the tall paceman finally broke through when Pathan hit a pull shot straight up in the air to Du Plessis.

Khan and last man Munaf Patel added 15 before Khan holed out to Tsotsobe and the tour finally had a winner after six weeks — involving a drawn test series and a seesaw one-day contest.

Earlier, Amla stroked nine fours and anchored South Africa's effort with his seventh one-day century.

Amla shared a 97-run partnership with Morne van Wyk (56) and then a 102-run stand with JP Duminy (35) which took South Africa to a winning total, despite its late collapse.

Munaf Patel took 3-50 in another impressive performance in India's bowling effort, while left-arm spinner Yuvraj had 2-45 and Khan 2-47.