Pakistan ICC World Twenty20 2009 Champions

Shahid Afridi's sensible yet electrifying batting, with a couple of boom-booms thrown in for good measure, helped Pakistan overtake Sri Lanka's modest score with 8 balls to go, and bag the Championship. With his outstanding bowling throughout the tournament, and great batting towards the final stages, Shahid Afridi has risen to iconic status that was reserved for the likes of Imran Khan in a nation troubled by conflicts for so long.


Afridi's unbeaten 54 and a wicket of the very last ball, earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. He hit two sixes and two fours, and the winning runs, after which he stood and saluted the thousands of elated Pakistani supporters in his usual trademark style.

It was the second global one-day title for Pakistan after Imran Khan's side rallied in similar fashion to win the 1992 50-over World Cup. Pakistan lost the inaugural Twenty20 final in 2007 to India.

Sri Lanka had effectively lost the match in the first six powerplay overs, after they were down 32 for 4. A captain's innings from Kumar Sangakkara and a late charge by Angelo Mathews (partnership of 68 runs in 43 deliveries) boosted Sri Lanka to 138 for 6. Abdul Razzaq claimed a wicket in each of his first three overs, removing Jehan Mubarak for a duck, Sanath Jayasuriya for 17 and Mahela Jaywardene for one.