After the shameful terror attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore on March 3rd, holding of international sporting events in Pakistan became doubtful, but the boom boom victory in Twenty20 cricket world cup changed the whole scenario. This victory may open doors of hosting international events in Pakistan very soon.
       The terrorist attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team sent a shockwave throughout the world of cricket and Pakistan was virtually exiled from international cricket. Since then, the Pakistani Government launched a fierce operation against suspected terrorists, which, in turn, unleashed terrorist activities across the country, holding the whole nation hostage to terrorists’ whims. The attack on Sri Lankan team prompted the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take away Pakistan’s hosting rights for 14 matches of the 2011 World Cup. Before this, Pakistan had become the pariah of world cricket after being shunned by foreign teams due to security concerns that forced the Champions Trophy shifted out of the country.
       And then, as the world looked on at Lords, the home of cricket, it was those same two nations, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- as fate would have it -- who made it into the showpiece final of the World Twenty20 World Cup. According to a true cricket enthusiast, it was always going to be Pakistan to clinch the title.
       Cricket pundits thought that Pakistan was a second class team and green shirts will not qualify for the semifinal stage, but every observation was proven wrong because of the unity of green shirts shown in every match under the leadership of skipper Younis Khan.
       But lady-luck gave Pakistan -- runners-up to India in South Africa two years ago -- an opportunity to banish some of the demons from the last World Cup in the Caribbean, as well as unfortunate happenings at home, and show the cricket world that they are still a force to reckon with. Pakistan kept their unpredictability tag intact and defeated the men from Pearl Island by 8 wickets at Lord’s to claim the coveted title that they were longing for so desperately.
       Cricket has always been a big binding force in the country and the team’s success in the Twenty20 World Cup has helped lift the spirits of the people. The last few months have been very hard for the people and many of us carry psychological scars of the innocent lives lost in the terrorist attacks. But for now, we have something to celebrate and look forward to. The victory also gave a clear message to terrorists that cricket cannot be stopped or halted. It will go on, whether in Pakistan or abroad. Pakistan played the final in a brilliant manner.
       Meanwhile, champions’ skipper Younis Khan said he had decided even before the World Cup started that he would retire from Twenty20 cricket if Pakistan won the tournament.
"It's not a disaster for Pakistan if we fail to qualify for [the] Super Eight round because this Twenty20 cricket is all about fun. Even though it’s an international event, but it's all a fun game," Younis had said at the start of the World Cup. Now, after winning the cup, Younis has revealed that it was part of a well-thought out plan.
"It was in my mind before going to the World Cup that if we win it, I will retire from Twenty20 cricket," he said, adding that he was confident about the success of Pakistan's campaign. "We felt if we played consistently and played seriously we can win it. I was cool and calm and knew if we played well we can win. I had worked a lot during the series against Australia which affected my performance, but I think the way we worked hard, it paid [off] in the World Cup. Like all my other countrymen, I am also proud to win the World Cup. Like in the last World Cup, we came very close to winning it, but we could not."
       Younis said he chanced upon the ideal playing combination during the Super Eight games. "When we won last match in the Super Eights, I knew which combination we have to play with. Lots of players like Misbah, myself, Shoaib Malik and even Fawad Alam did not bat in the last few matches as our team clicked at the right time."
       On the other hand, former test cricketers have showered praise on the Pakistan cricket team following their wonderful victory in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup final.
       Ramiz Raja, former national captain, praised the side as thousands of fans took to the streets across the country. Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq paid tribute to the spirit of the side, while Ramiz Raja said this win was even better than Pakistan's World Cup success in 1992.
       "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," said Miandad, director-general of the Pakistan Cricket Board. "It's a great achievement."
       Ramiz, like Miandad and Inzamam a part of the 1992 champion squad, rated 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," he said. "Nobody was rating this team, but the way they have made a comeback, there's no example in our sporting history."
       Inzamam gave the credit to Pakistan's bowlers, who consistently did well in the tournament and kept it up in the final to keep Sri Lanka to 138. "The bowlers played a 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."
       "This victory comes as a morale booster for a nation beset with political and economic problems," said Imran Khan, under whose captaincy Pakistan lifted the 1992 World Cup.
       Basit Ali said he would give all credit to captain Younis. “I will give full credit to Younis. He was saying right from the first day that he wanted to win the cup for his people who have been suffering badly,” said former batsman Basit. Sarfaraz Nawaz expressed regret over Younis’s decision of retirement from Twenty20 cricket and said Pakistan had proved their significance in international cricket.
       Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated the team and announced an award of Rs1 million (US$12, 300) for captain Younis Khan and Man-of-the-Match Shahid Afridi, and Rs 500,000 (US$6,500) for the rest of the squad.
       Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani asked the country to greet the victorious Pakistan team in a befitting manner when it returns home. "I myself will greet the team at the PM house," he said.
       Four Pakistan cricketers have been named in an International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 squad. The ICC announced the team of the tournament for the Twenty20 World Cup 2009 that finished at Lord’s. Pakistani players are Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul and Kamran Akmal. “The team was chosen by a select group of experts who were given the task of picking a balanced side for all conditions on the basis of performances in the tournament,” a spokesman for the ICC said.