This win is more important than 1992

Former Pakistan players hailed the sides World Twenty20 win and hoped the victory...

Former Pakistan players hailed the sides World Twenty20 win and hoped the victory can go some way towards unifying the troubled nation and restore its position on the international cricket map.

Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Lords on Sunday,the final win providing a vital lift to a country that has seen the side starved of action following a series of violent attacks that led visiting nations to cancel tours.

The team went without Test cricket in 2008 and the International Cricket Council (ICC) moved 2011 World Cup matches due to be staged in Pakistan to overseas venues.

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Skipper Younis Khan and many of his team mates spoke of the healing touch the win would provide their countrymen,while former captain Rameez Raja said it offered a ray of hope. It is an apt answer to all those people who are not supporting Pakistan cricket at this crucial juncture, he said. This victory is more important than our 1992 World Cup triumph.

Raja was a member of the victorious one-day squad 17 years ago and praised the current team for winning at a time when Pakistan was short of international cricket and suffering from a number of domestic problems. Our team has shown that despite the problems we face,cricket will always remain alive and kicking in our country and no one can ignore Pakistan as a top cricket nation, he said.

Pakistan has been fighting a long battle against militancy and hundreds have been killed in suicide bomb attacks and unrest this year. In March,militants ambushed the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore,leaving six Pakistani policemen and a driver dead and six players wounded.

The attack led to the ICCs decision to effectively strip Pakistan of its co-hosting rights for the 2011 one-day World Cup although the countrys board is still locked in talks with the sports governing body over the issue.

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Former captain Javed Miandad hoped the win would help bind the nation. Other nations must learn a lesson from us on how to keep sports alive even in adversity and troubled times. Our players deserve credit for bringing joy to the people in these hard times.

The former batsman said the win and the celebrations showed cricket remained a unifying force in Pakistan. That is why we say the ICC and other boards must understand if they dont support us by playing in Pakistan it will hurt the country a lot.

must build on the win

Former skipper Aamer Sohail said Pakistan must build on the win to bring back sponsors and revive interest among the youth. Moin Khan and Rashid Latif,also former skippers,praised Younis for his role in the triumph.

Younis has played a big role in turning the team into a top outfit. The way we won the final it is a tribute to the fighting spirit of Pakistanis, Moin said.