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Pakistan were crowned ICC World Twenty20 champions after clinching an eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's.
Shahid Afridi hit an unbeaten 54 to steer his side home along with Shoaib Malik, who made 24 not out in a match-winning stand of 76.
Having been behind the rate for long periods of their reply Pakistan coasted home in the end, crossed the finishing line with eight balls to spare.
Their victory, which had looked so unlikely after they made a slow start to the tournament, losing three of their first four games on English soil, helps erase the memory of their final defeat to rivals India back in 2007.
Favourites reeling
Sri Lanka had earlier been restricted to 138-6 from their 20 overs, Kumar Sangakkara hitting 64 not out to hold the innings together.
The left-hander had little hesitation in choosing to bat first after winning the toss but soon found himself at the crease with his side reeling on 2-2 after just nine deliveries.
Having come into the contest as the tournament's leading run-scorer, Tillekeratne Dilshan failed to add to his tally of 317 when he fell for a fifth-ball duck in the opening over.
Teenager Mohammad Aamir removed the in-form opener when he had him caught at short fine leg trying to play his famed paddle shot, though it was the experienced Abdul Razzaq who did most of the early damage.
The all-rounder removed Jehan Mubarak without troubling the scorers with his third ball on his way to figures of 3-20 from his three overs.
Sanath Jayasuriya became his second victim when he played on having made 17 off 10 balls, while former captain Mahela Jayawardene (one) guided a short ball straight into the hands of Misbah-ul-Haq stationed at slip.
With his side struggling at 32-4, Sangakkara finally found a reliable ally in Chamara Silva, who contributed a patient 14 before becoming Umar Gul's 14th victim in the event.
Isuru Udana departed quickly but Angelo Mathews provided some all-important late impetus with 35 from just 24 balls during an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand of 68, of which 17 came off the last over of the innings.
Steady start
The late burst gave the Sri Lankans' much-vaunted bowling attack something to defend as they bid to maintain their perfect record in the event, a run of wins that included a victory over the same opponents in the Super Eights.
Although it took them until the eighth over to make a breakthrough, they did make sure Pakistan never managed to get on top of the run rate.
Kamran Akmal was his usual positive self, though, contributing 37 out of a first-wicket alliance worth 48 before being stumped off Jayasuriya's bowling.
Opening partner Shahzaib Hasan fell 12 balls later, his attempt to launch Muttiah Muralitharan into the stands only resulting in an easy catch for Jayasuriya at short fine leg.
However, Afridi's second successive 50 made sure Pakistan did not slip up in the final again to claim their first ICC silverware since Imran Khan's side triumphed in the World Cup Down Under back in 1992.
The 29-year-old's second six - the 166th of the event - in the 18th over proved the telling blow, as it dragged the requirement down to a run-a-ball rate.
When Udana followed up with a hip-high no ball that was flicked away fine for four, the Sri Lankans knew their hopes were gone. In the end a leg bye off Afridi's boot clinched Pakistan victory, allowing the celebrations to get underway inside the ground and back in their homeland.
Source: Sky Sports
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