India beat Pakistan by two wickets to win the Blind Cricket World Cup for the second time after a thrilling match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Hosts Pakistan had set India a target of 308 runs at a loss of eight wickets in their allotted 40 overs after they were put into bat. India conquered the modest target in the 39th over, with two balls to spare and eight wickets lost.

Badar Munir remained the top-scorer for Pakistan, with 57 runs off 61 balls. Riasat Khan and skipper Nisar Ali contributed 48 and 47 runs, respectively. Opener Mohsin Khan scored 21, Sanaullah 28, Mohammad Rashid 14, Amir Ashfaq 10 and Zafar Iqbal only six runs. Haroon Khan and Israr Hassan remained not-out at 25 and zero, respectively.

India's Deepak Malik and Rambir took two wickets each, while Sunil Ramesh also sent one Pakistani batsman to the pavilion.

Ramesh also remained the top scorer for the Indian site, bagging an impressive 93 runs from 67 balls. Captain Ajay Kumar Reddy hit a 62, opener Prakash 45 and Venkatesh managed 35 runs.

For his brilliant all-round performance, Ramesh was declared the man of the match.

The Pakistan Blind Cricket Council had invited International Cricket Council CEO David Richardson, former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas and ex-Indian wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani to witness the final.

With this win, India has equalled arch-rival Pakistan's World Cup triumphs.

The inaugural World Cup in 1998 was won by South Africa who defeated Pakistan in New Delhi to become the first blind cricket world champion.

The second Blind Cricket World Cup was hosted by India in 2002 at Chennai and was handsomely won by Pakistan who beat India in the final under the captaincy of dashing skipper Abdul Razzaq.

Razzaq again led his team to second consecutive Blind World Cup title win in 2006 in Islamabad as Pakistan outclassed India again.

After a span of eight years, the fourth Blind Cricket World Cup was held in South Africa’s shore city of Cape Town in 2014 where Pakistan, defending the title, lost a close match to India who excelled under the captaincy of Shekhar Naik to win the close encounter by 5 wickets.

Besides the Blind World Cup fixtures, India on their home ground in 2016 won the Asia Cup for Blind and then lifted the 2017 World T20 title by defeating Pakistan in the final.