Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad admitted he thought England had let the series slip from their grasp in the deciding game against Pakistan.
Kevin Pietersen made an unbeaten 62 to help the tourists, who had won the second match in Dubai on Saturday to level the three-match series at 1-1, post a competitive total of 129-6 in Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan's reply suffered a disastrous start when they lost Mohammad Hafeez for a golden duck, but solid contributions from Awais Zia (23) and Asad Shafiq (34) put them firmly on course for victory.
However, bowlers Broad and Jade Dernbach held their nerve in the two overs of a low-scoring contest, meaning England triumphed by five runs.
Slipping away
"We obviously had a bit of inexperience in that first game, and today they had a lot of experience," said Broad, who conceded just four runs from his final over, the penultimate of the match, as well as dismissing Umar Akmal.
"It proves they're quite difficult wickets to score on, and that's what kept us going.
"After 10 overs, if we're all honest, it looked like the game was slipping away from us.
"But the 11 guys on the field were very clear that, if we could get a couple of tight overs in, you can change Twenty20 games just like that.
"I think the communication between the fellas was brilliant, and that probably led to us winning the game."
Broad singled out the in-form Pietersen, who crucially hit the final ball of England's innings for six, and seamer Dernbach for special praise.
"It was a tense game," the skipper admitted.
"KP showed his experience, to know it wasn't going to be a 150-160 wicket.
"Once we got up to 130, I always thought that was going to be competitive.
On Dernbach, who was left with the task of bowling the final over with 13 needed, Broad added: "Jade was fantastic with his final two overs, very high-pressure overs to bowl - and he showed his Twenty20 class there."
Pietersen, whose crucial knock saw him named man of the match, admitted the slow nature of the surface had not made it easy to score runs.
"It was a difficult wicket," he said. "I found it quite hard to score really quickly, and they were quite big boundaries as well.
"The Pakistani bowlers are fantastic bowlers. Saeed Ajmal is world-class; the angle (Mohammad) Hafeez was bowling with was fantastic, and Umar Gul is very good with reverse-swing."
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who was unable to hit the final delivery of the match for six to get his side over the line, praised England's seamers for turning the situation around at the death.
"Through the last five overs, England bowled very well," he said.
"They have throughout the series, the slower ones, reverse-swing - it's been remarkable - and we just couldn't make the runs.
"That second-last over, from Broad, just pushed the game away from us."