The unexpected triumph in the Polish city of Bielsko-Biała marks the first world team squash title won by Pakistan - the once powerhouse nation of world squash - since 2008.

Underdogs Pakistan put themselves in the driving seat in the opening battle of the final when Israr Ahmed avenged his semi-final defeat to Saadeldin Abouaish, in the earlier World Individual Championships, to earn a hard-fought straight-games win.

All three games went almost point-for-point, but the 18-year-old Pakistani from Lahore managed to find a way to take crucial leads in all three - leading 10-7 in the first before winning it 11-9; taking the last two points from nine-all in the second; and, agonisingly for the Egyptians, again pulling clear from seven-all in the third to take the match 11-9.

Order was restored in the second match, however, when Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah levelled the tie for Egypt.

After the 17-year-old Egyptian took the opening game, fellow squad number two Ahsan Ayaz drew level by taking the second - for the same score 13-11.

The Cairo teenager was on top for the remainder of the match, however, winning 13-11, 11-13, 11-5, 11-6 to set up a decider.

Egypt had a brief lead early in the third and final match between 18-year-old Pakistani Abbas Shoukat and Marwan Tarek Abdelhamid, a 16-year-old from Cairo who was making his championship debut.

To the joy of the Pakistani camp, however, Shoukat closed out the match 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 in 37 minutes to return the trophy to Asia after eight years.

England and United States shared third place in the competition with England celebrating their return to the top four after their only failure not to do so in 18 appearances two years ago.

The US also made history by reaching the semi-finals for the first time ever.