Second biggest achievement since 1992 WC: Inzamam-ul-Haq
Former Test cricketers showered praise as thousands of fans took to the streets across Pakistan to celebrate their country's eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the Twenty20 World Cup final on Sunday.
The rejoicing started as batsman Shahid Afridi steered Pakistan to the title with an unbeaten 54 off 40 balls, with his team chasing down the target of 139 runs in 18.4 overs for the loss of two wickets.
Giant screens were put in place in the main markets of Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Multan where thousands of men, women and children gathered to watch the final live from Lord's in London.
The victory provided many back home with a welcome lift, given the Pakistan army's fight against militant Taliban fighters in the north west of the country.
"We desperately needed this victory because there's so much happening around our country," Mohammad Khalil told the Express News television.
Khalil drove Sri Lankan players and officials to safety at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 3 when an attack on the bus by gunmen left six policemen dead.
"Sri Lanka is our friend and it will remain our friend, but I wanted Pakistan to win today's match," Khalil said as he waved the national flag and watched the match live on a big screen with hundreds of other Pakistan team supporters in Lahore.
Ramiz Raja, a member of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup winning team and a former test captain, rated Sunday's victory as more important than the one against England in Melbourne 17 years ago.
"It's a major turnaround in a sense that over the last six to eight months whatever has happened in Pakistan it has sent wrong messages," Raja said.
Pakistan had a shaky start to its World Cup campaign when it lost both its warm-up matches - against South Africa and India - before losing to England in a group match.
"Nobody was rating this team, but the way they have made a comeback there's no example in our sporting history," Raja said.
Another former Test captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, gave the credit to Pakistan bowlers.
"I think bowlers play vital role in winning the tournament. Umar Gul, Afridi and Saeed Ajmal bowled superbly throughout," he said. "It's our second biggest achievement since winning the 1992 World Cup."
Pakistan's former playing great Javed Miandad, now director general of the Pakistan Cricket Board, paid tribute to the team spirit.
"We are always slow starters, but once the team started playing as a unit, I knew it would go all the way and lift the World Cup," Miandad said. "It's a great achievement."
Across Pakistan, people had started to gather around giant screens on roads and in front of television in hotels and restaurants in all the main cities hours before the match.
They clapped and danced on the beat of drums at the fall of every Sri Lankan wicket.
Medium fast Abdul Razzaq chipped in with three quick wickets that left Sri Lanka reeling at 70-6 in the 13th over while young 17-year-old left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Aamer dismissed prolific batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan without scoring in the first over.
"Our bowlers made us proud today as they didn't allow the Sri Lankan batsmen to settle down and restricted them to a gettable total," said 20-year-old Mohammad Amjad, who watched the match with his friend on a big screen in Islamabad.
Television channels kept their viewers updated throughout the final and showed pictures of emotional fans across the country.
