AHMEDABAD: Favourites Lahore Badshahs lived up to their reputation and annexed the ICL Twenty20 League title after an easy eight-wicket win over Hyderabad Heroes in the third final on Sunday.

Imran Nazir cracked a huge six to land the winning runs as Lahore won the best-of-three finals 2-1.

Requiring 159 to win, Lahore flew to victory in just 13.5 overs as Nazir blazed his way to an unbeaten 111 off just 44 balls. Nazir heaved 11 sixes and seven fours to pulverise the hapless Hyderabad bowlers. He made a mockery of the contest and provided the spectators with a fabulous exhibition of power hitting.

Earlier, before the deciding final got underway at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stadium on Sunday, Inzamam-ul Haq's Lahore Badshahs were on the ground limbering up.

They were also seen using the long handle trying to clear the ropes. The fast bowlers bent their back trying to extract extra pace and the spinners too had a good workout wheeling their arms. There were also some good catches taken, some wonderful saves and some excellent throws.

Whatever they did, there was a sense of purpose in it and why not? They were just a step away from the title when on Saturday Jusine Kemp plucked a blinder from thin air, jumping and diving on the boundary line and changed everything. Lahore Badshahs, after winning the first final against Hyderabad Heroes with ease, lost the second by a whisker and so Sunday was D-day.

The way Azhar Mahmood celebrated after he sent Man-of-the-Match in the second final, Jimmy Maher's, leg-stump cartwheeling, one could get the feeling that the Badshahs bowlers are not going to give anything away. But as usual, Khaleel held one end tight and built up small partnerships with Anirudh Singh, Ambati Rayudu and Stuart Binny to take the Heroes to 158 for the loss of 7 wickets.

The scenario could have been much better for the Hyderabad team had Shahid Nazir not bowled that spell in the middle overs.

Nazir ensured that Badshahs don't have to chase much more than what they did on Saturday night by picking up three crucial wickets giving away just 29 runs. Saqlain Mushtaq took two wickets.

Brief scores
Hyderabad Heroes : 158/7 (I Khaleel 45, S Binny 25, Shahid Nazir 3/29, Saqlain Mushtaq 2/35) lost to Lahore Badshahs 160/2 in 13.5 overs (Imran Nazir 111 n.o., Imran Farhat 28).