Pak erupts in celebration after Twenty20 triumph

Pakistan erupted in celebration last night as Younis Khan and his men won the Twenty20 World Cup defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Lords.

The city of Karachi reverberated with fireworks as people thronged onto the streets to celebrate the national team's victory in the Twenty20 World Cup, a rare moment of joy for Pakistani citizens amid continuous blood bath.

Heavy fireworks went off as soon as the last run was scored with people chanting 'Pakistan Zindabad' and 'Pakistan cricket team zindabad' as the national team won its first World title after 1992.

"It is a historic moment for all of us. Younis and his boys could not have given the Pakistani people a more appropriate gift at this time," former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said.

The victory comes at a time when Pakistan is struggling to cope with rising militancy and terrorist attacks with a full scale military operation against the militants going in the Swat valley and some other tribal areas.

Youngsters attired in green T-shirts and holding posters of Shahid Afridi poured onto the streets with many of them using motorbike horns to express their delight.

Since the start of the match, the streets remained deserted as people were glued to the television either at home or private clubs, parks, restaurants, elite coffee shops and tea stalls as people remained engrossed in the action with every wicket and boundary being cheered loudly.

"It is a big step forward for Pakistan cricket. To win the World Cup at a time when Pakistan cricket has also been hit by security issues is a big tribute to our players. Younis Khan deserves a lot of credit for uniting the team into a fighting unit," former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said.

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