Pakistan welcomed the return of international cricket in style as they beat World XI by 33 runs in the third and final T20 of the Independence Cup at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Friday to clinch the series 2-1. Put into bat first, Ahmed Shehzad's 89 propelled Pakistan to 183 in 20 overs. In reply, World XI could only manage 150/8 in 20 overs. Hashim Amla (21) and Tamim Iqbal (14) failed to get their team off to a good start as Pakistani bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals. For Pakistan, Hasan Ali was the pick of bowlers as he ended with figures of 2/28 from his four overs. For World XI, Thisara Perera and David Miller were the top-scorers, 32.
Catch highlights of the 3rd and final T20I between Pakistan and World XI
22:59 IST: And it's all over, Pakistan beat World XI by 33 runs to clinch series 2-1 and win the Independence Cup.
22:58 IST: Four! Sammy hits Raees for a boundary straight down the ground.
22:57 IST: Four continuous dots from Rumman Raees in the last over, brilliant stuff from the pacer.
22:55 IST: World XI need 39 runs in six balls. It's virtually over for the visitors as Pakistan is going home with the series.
22:51 IST: Pakistan is closing in on victory as World XI need 43 runs to win in 12 balls.
22:50 IST: Samuel Badree is the new man in.
22:49 IST: Out! Morne Morkel departs as Babr Azam gets a direct hit on the wicket. World XI need 45 runs in 15 balls.
22:45 IST: Out! Hasan Ali dismisses David Miller for 37, World XI slump further in chase.
22:40 IST: Six! Sammy smokes Hasan Ali for a huge maximum straight down the ground.
22:39 IST: Four! Short delivery from Raees, Miller pulls it past the short third man for a boundary.
22:35 IST: At the end of the 15th over, World XI are 119/6, need 65 runs in 30 balls.
22:27 IST: Darren Sammy is the new man in.
22:26 IST: Out! Rumman Raees gets the danger man, dismisses Perera for 32.
22:23 IST: Four! Perera slices Rumman Raees for a boundary.
22:19 IST: Four! Perera follows the maximums with a boundary straight down the ground over the umpire's head.
22:18 IST: Six! Thisara Perera smacks Shadab Khan for three back-to-back maximums.
22:16 IST: Four! David Miller hammers Hasan Ali for a boundary.
22:07 IST: At the end of the 10th over, World XI are 68/5, need 116 runs to win.
22:06 IST: Out! Pakistan get rid of World XI captain Faf du Plessis for 13.
22:03 IST: Six!! David Miller shimmies down the track and slams Imad Wasim for a maximum.
21:59 IST: Shadab Khan is introduced into the attack.
21:58 IST: Out! Slow delivery from Wasim, Bailey (3) drags the ball onto the stumps.
21:51 IST: At the end of the sixth over, World XI are 43/3.
21:50 IST: Rumman Raees bowls the first maiden over of the series.
21:45 IST: George Bailey is the new man in.
21:43 IST: Out! Mix up in the middle, Hashim Amla (21) falls short of the crease. World XI lose two quick wickets.
21:41 IST: Out! Hasan Ali castles Ben Cutting for five. World XI 41/2 in 4.2 overs.
21:40 IST: Four! Back-to-back boundaries for Amla off Usman Khan.
21:39 IST: Four! Amla stays on the back foot and guides the ball uppishly through the fine leg fence
21:37 IST: Four! Pitched right up and Amla slammed the drive straight down the ground.
21:33 IST: Four! Amla comes down the track and slams Imad for a boundary.
21:30 IST: Ben Cutting is the new man in.
21:29 IST: Out! Usman Khan cleans up Tamim Iqbal for 14 early in chase.
21:27 IST: Usman Khan, comes into the attack.
21:26 IST: At the end of the first over, World XI are 13 for no loss.
21:25 IST: Four! Iqbal slams Wasim over deep mid wicket for a boundary.
21:24 IST: Four! Back-to-back boundaries for Iqbal, this time over mid wicket.
21:23 IST: Four! Iqbal comes down the track and lofts Wasim for a boundary.
21:22 IST: Imad Wasim opening the bowling for Pakistan.
21:21 IST: Tamim Iqbal and Hashim Amla opening the batting for World XI.
21:20 IST: Welcome back to World XI's chase!
21:09 IST: First innings done, Pakistan score 183/4 in 20 overs. (Shehzad 89, Perera 2/37)
21:04 IST: Six! Shoaib Malik slams a low full-toss for a maximum over square leg boundary.
21:03 IST: Out! Babar Azam departs for 48 in search for quick runs, Perera gets his first.
21:00 IST: Six!! Shoaib Malik slams Morkel for a maximum straight down the ground.
20:55 IST: Out! Ahmed Shehzad run out in search of a cheeky run for 89 runs. Pakistan 163/2.
20:52 IST: Six! Ahmed Shehzad changing his gear now. Three back-to-back maximums from him.
20:51 IST: Six! Back-to-back maximums from Shehzad off Cutting. Shehzad is on fire at the moment.
20:50 IST: Six! Cutting misses his yorker, Shehzad smokes him for a huge maximum.
20:46 IST: Four! Back-to-back boundaries for Shehzad off Morne Morkel.
20:37 IST: Four! Babar Azam slaps Perera through the off-side for a boundary.
20:35 IST: Four! Shehzad slams Tahir straight down the ground for a boundary.
20:26 IST: 100 comes up for Pakistan in the 13th over.
20:25 IST: Fifty! Ahmed Shehzad scores his seventh half-century off 37 balls.
20:16 IST: Four!! Babar Azam slams Sammy for a boundary on the leg side.
20:14 IST: At the end of the 10th over, Pakistan 76/1. (Shehzad 43* and Azam 6*)
20:13 IST: Four!! Ahmed Shehzad slams Tahir straight down the ground for a boundary.
20:09 IST: Babar Azam comes out in the middle, joins Ahmed Shehzad.
20:08 IST: Out!! Fakhar Zaman Run Out!! Shehzad hits the Sammy off-cutter straight back, Sammy gets finger tips to the ball as it crashes in the wickets. Very unfortunate for Fakhar Zaman at non-strikers end.
20:01 IST: Cricket fans in the stadium express their happiness as cricket returns.
20:00 IST: Imran Tahir introduced in the bowling attack.
19:57 IST: Darren Sammy, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack.
19:55 IST: 50 comes up Pakistan in the sixth over.
19:54 IST: Six!! Short and wide from Perera, Zaman clobbers the ball over point for a huge maximum.
19:52 IST: Four! Short on the pads, Shehzad puts the ball away towards the fine-leg boundary.
19:51 IST: Thisara Perera introduced in the attack.
19:50 IST: At the end of the fifth over, Pakistan 38 for no loss.
19:45 IST: Ben Cutting, right-arm fast medium, introduced in the attack.
19:43 IST: Four! Shehzad drives Morkel through the covers with authority.
19:40 IST: Four! Zaman steps down the track and smashes Badree to deep extra covers for an one bounce four.
19:36 IST: Four! Same ball, same result. Carbon copy shot from Shehzad off Morkel.
19:35 IST: Four! Full delivery on the pads from Morkel, Shehzad guides it away for a boundary.
19:34 IST: Morne Morkel, right-arm fast, comes into the attack
19:33 IST: At the end of the first over, Pakistan 12 for no loss.
19:32 IST: Four! Short delivery from Badree, Zaman leans back and pulls the ball for a boundary.
19:31 IST: Four! Short and wide from Badree, Shehzad cuts it through point.
19:30 IST: First ball, Pakistan get first run on the board.
19:29 IST: Samuel Badree opening the bowling for World XI.
19:28 IST: Fakhar Zaman and Ahmed Shehzad opening the batting for Pakistan.
19:27 IST: It is game time! Both team walking out in the middle.
19:10 IST: Pakistan playing XI:
19:08 IST: World XI playing eleven:
19:00 IST: Faf du Plessis wins toss, elects to bowl first against World XI at Gaddafi Stadium.
17:56 IST: Ahead of the final match, Daren Sammy and Thisara Perera took to Twitter to share their excitement for the final match.
17:55 IST: Hello and welcome to the live blog of the final match between Pakistan and World XI at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Sarfraz Ahmed-led Pakistan dished out a brilliant performance in the first T20I to take a lead in the three-match T20I series as they beat the visitors by 20-runs. But World XI bounced back in the second game and levelled the series. With series and pride on the line, both team will look to give their best and come out on top.