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Joy for embattled nation

Published: June 20, 2009

KARACHI (AFP) - Pakistanis rejoiced Friday as their cricket team beat South Africa and booked a place in the World Twenty20 final, bringing rare joy in a nation used to sombre news of bomb blasts and Taliban violence.
"We are delighted," Zaboor Khan, an electrician, told a private tv from outside the home of squad captain Younus Khan in Mardan town.
"Just a week ago we lost so many people in a bomb blast in Peshawar and we were not watching matches. But this win has given us a new joy - we needed this in a state of despair."
Foreign teams were already nervous about touring the South Asian nation, and then in March this year gunmen launched a fierce attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team as they travelled to a match in the eastern city Lahore.
Younus himself said last week: "We have no international cricket so if we reach the semi-final or win the tournament, the nation will stand up for us. I need a cup for people of Pakistan."
Pakistan, who finished runners-up to India in the inaugural World Twenty20 two years ago, upstaged South Africa by seven runs in a gripping semi-final at Trent Bridge, with Shahid Afridi sparkling with both bat and ball.
Afridi hit an aggressive 51 from 34 balls and then grabbed 2-16 with his leg-spin as Pakistan successfully defended 149-4 to restrict the Proteas to 142-5 - leaving millions of fans in a frenzy late into the night.Pakistan will on Sunday meet the winners of Friday's second semi-final between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

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