World Twenty20: Shahid Afridi powers Pakistan to final victory over Sri Lanka.
Pakistan (139-2) bt Sri Lanka (138-6) by 8 wkts.Lord's was all green on Sunday. The greensward was as spectacular as ever but it was the green of Pakistani flags flying with pride at their team’s crowning as World Twenty20 champions that dominated the eye.It is a long time since Pakistan supporters have been able to puff out their chests at the achievements of their talented but flawed cricket team. Scandals of match-fixing and ball-tampering have both eaten away at their credibility since Imran Khan’s Tigers won the 1992 World Cup.But recently it has been the action of terrorists that has made them the outcasts of the world game. Shots fired at beaten finalists, Sri Lanka, have ultimately hurt their own players the most, knowing as they do that it will be years before another team sets foot in Pakistan.This week it is likely the International Cricket Council will deliver a final, telling blow when they find a new home for the 2011 World Cup due to be co-hosted by Pakistan.With such a parlous future in mind, their captain, Younus Khan, made a frank plea after the team’s momentous eight-wicket victory. “This is a message from our nation: please come to Pakistan,” he said. “I am proud of my country and this victory is very nice for all of us but to keep our youngsters interested and for the structure of our cricket we need home series.” The Test tour by Sri Lanka, that ended at a roundabout in Lahore on March 3, was their first home Test series for 18 months. This was a team of strangers when they arrived here and it is little wonder they started so slowly losing to England and scraping through the first round on run rate over Holland.But Pakistan were destined for victory. The last word falls to Younus who announced his Twenty20 retirement before making one final declaration. “This final goes to Bob Woolmer (the coach who died at the 2007 World Cup). I would be a very proud man if he was alive and sitting here next to me.”
Source;.......telegraph.co.uk
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