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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.

Chasing 139, Pakistan got off to a flying start with Kamran Akmal (37 off 28 balls) taking the Lankan attack by the scruff of its neck and then Shahid Afridi (54 not out) went ballistic as the side cruised to 139 for two.

This was a memorable win for a nation which has been shunned by the visiting teams because of the volatile security situation there, resulting in their virtual isolation in international cricket.

Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara (64 not out) played a captain's knock and added 68 invaluable runs with Angelo Mathews (35 not out) to put on board a competitive 138 for six wickets after his decision to bat first on Lord's lively track had boomeranged.

Sangakkara's knock came after comeback Pakistani pacer Abdul Razzaq (3/20) had mowed the Lankan top order, leaving them reeling at 26 for four inside four overs and then gasping for breath at 70 for six inside 13 overs.

With Akmal on song, Pakistan got just the right start they needed with the opening stand yielding 48 runs in seven overs.

Akmal threw his bat at everything hurled at him and twice his slog-sweeps landed in the stands before Sanath Jayasuriya removed him with his first delivery.

Other opener Shazaib Hasan (19) too joined him in the hut shortly but Afridi and Shoaib Malik (24 not out) kept up the good work to complete the formalities.

Afridi's 40-ball blitzkrieg was studded with two sixes and as many fours.

Earlier, Sangakkara waged a grim battle to help Sri Lanka survive a spectacular top order collapse and post a modest 138 for six.

Sangakkara felt the team would be better off defending a total but was left to rue the decision as Razzaq, plying his trade in the 'rebel' Indian Cricket League (ICL) till the other day, scythed through the top order to leave the Lankans gasping for breath at 32 for four inside six overs.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, the leading scorer of the tournament, played an awkward scoop off Mohammad Aamer in the first over to return with a duck against his name and was soon joined by scoreless teammate Jehan Mubarak, who miscued Abdul Razzaq to give Shazaib Hasan his second catch of the match.

A lot was expected of Sanath Jayasuriya (17) but all the Lankan old war horse managed was a six and four off Razzaq's successive deliveries before bottom-edging the fifth ball onto his stumps, leaving his team reeling at 26 for three inside four overs.

That their nightmare was not over yet was evident when Mahela Jayawardene (1) actually guided a Razzaq delivery to Misbah-ul Haq in the lone slip to leave the Lankans in dire strait.

Sangakkara hit Aamer for back-to-back fours and then meted out the same treatment to Shahid Afridi to prove there was no demon in the pitch but another setback was just round the corner.

Chamara Silva (14) had added 35 runs with his skipper before a fluffed pull off Umar Gul brought his peril, leaving the Lankas sans their top half with the score reading a mere 67.

Down the order, Sangakkara found an able ally in Mathews and they forged a resuscitating stand to push the score near the 140-mark.