Islamabad United have reclaimed PSL title as they beat Peshawar Zalmi in the final played at National Stadium, Karachi.
Defending champions Peshawar Zalmi had set 149-run target. Islamabad United openers, Luke Ronchi and Sahibzada Farhan and middle order batsman Asif Ali showered the stadium with fours and sixes, hence fixed United's victory.
Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and sent inaugural champions Islamabad United in to field on Sunday in the final of the Pakistan Super League's third edition, being played in Karachi.
Batting first, Peshawar Zalmi couldn't impress much as their master blaster opener Kamran Akmal was dismissed after scoring just 1 run. Wahab Riaz's amazing performance in death overs was a treat to watch for Zalmi fans as he scored 28 runs off 14 deliveries.
The closing ceremony of Pakistan Super League began on Sunday as a jubilant crowd of thousands thronged the Karachi National Stadium for the final between defending champions Peshawar Zalmi and inaugural champions Islamabad United.
Thousands of security personnel were deployed to ensure maximum security at the Karachi National Stadium.
The Twenty20 match has great significance for Pakistan as it gradually welcomes back international cricket, which ground to a halt after a deadly attack on Sri Lanka's Test team in Lahore in 2009 which killed eight people and injured seven visiting players.
As well as the final in Karachi, both eliminators were held in Lahore this week - a step forward from last year, when only the final was held on Pakistani soil.
Karachi will also host three Twenty20 internationals between Pakistan and the West Indies in early April, the first home series involving a Test-level team since 2009.
Next year, the Pakistan Cricket Board has said it hopes to hold half of the PSL on home turf. Currently, most of the games are played in UAE.
Many Pakistani greats grew up playing cricket on the sweltering port city's chaotic streets, often using an improvised form known as tapeball, using a tennis ball wrapped in electrical tape.
The city's most popular player, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, said the PSL final was "great news", adding: "Karachiites will enjoy the occasion and I am glad over it."
The third edition of the PSL was launched last month with the addition of a sixth team, the Multan Sultans, more international stars, and hopeful fans eager to forget a spot-fixing scandal which tainted last year's event.
After the first 31 matches were played in Dubai and Sharjah, the PSL moved to Lahore on Tuesday, when Peshawar beat Quetta in the first eliminator and then ousted the Karachi Kings in the second.
The Lahore matches were played under heavy security, with police and paramilitary personnel guarding the teams from their hotel to the stadium and back.
