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An outcast in international cricket, Pakistan were crowned the World Twenty20 champions after they spanked continental rivals Sri Lanka by eight wickets in a lop-sided final here on Sunday.

Younus Khan and his men gave their terror-stricken countrymen something to cheer about as they first confined Sri Lanka to 138 for six and then went on to chase down the target in 18.4 overs to put behind the heartbreak of losing the crown to arch-rivals India in the 2007 edition of the tournament.

The Sri Lankan juggernaut crushed West Indies by 57 runs in Friday's lop-sided semi-final to set up a summit clash with Pakistan in the final of the World Twenty20 at Lord's on Sunday.

Put into bat, run-machine Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a sublime unbeaten 96 to help the Lankans overcome a mid-innings collapse and post 158 for five. And when they returned to defend the total, Angelo Mathews sent down a sensational first over, claiming three crucial wickets, and West Indies could never really recover from the setbacks.

Pakistan relied on Shahid Afridi's brilliant all-round show to stun favourites South Africa by seven runs in their semi-final match of the World Twenty20 here on Thursday.

Afridi first hit a 34-ball 51, his maiden Twenty20 half century to prop up Pakistan to 149 for 4 after electing to bat and then took two key wickets -- AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs -- for 16 to guide his side to second successive final in the showpiece event.

A pathetic India could not salvage their lost pride and sunk to a 12-run defeat against South Africa to end their miserable World Twenty20 campaign on a losing note here on Tuesday.

Supposedly playing for pride, India's star-studded batting order could not chase down the 153 runs that would have spared them the embarrassment of finishing the Super Eight campaign without a single win to show.

Ajantha Mendis spun a web around New Zealand as a clinical Sri Lanka stormed into the semifinal of the Twenty20 World Cup, thumping the Kiwis by 48 runs in a crucial Super Eight match here on Tuesday.

Mendis (3/9) ran through New Zealand's middle order to trigger a batting collapse as the Kiwis, in their pursuit of a 159-run victory target, were bundled out for 110 runs in 17 overs.

West Indies beat England by five wickets in a rain-reduced run-chase to reach the semi-finals at the expense of the hosts.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (19 not out off 9 balls) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (17 not out off 10 balls) saw their team home in an unbeaten partnership of 37 in 20 balls after England had reduced them to 45-5.

Pakistan beat Ireland by 39 runs at the Oval to increase their chances of reaching the semi-finals.

Ireland's target of 160 always seemed out-of-reach for the Irish against an ever-improving bowling attack, with Saeed Ajmal (4-19) and Umar Gul (2-19) to the fore on this occasion.

Defending champion India were on Sunday knocked out of the World Twenty20 title race after a heart-breaking three-run defeat at the hands of an inspired England in a nerve-wracking Super Eight match here.

Chasing a modest victory target of 154, India's famed batting order crumbled when it mattered most and the defending champions could manage 150 for five to see their title defence lay in tatters.