Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed said playing in front of a 'home' crowd had helped inspire his side to a shock 19-run win over South Africa in the Champions Trophy at Edgbaston.
Pakistan went from zeroes to heroes in three days, bouncing back from a 124-run thrashing by arch-rivals India to topple the world's number one-ranked ODI side.
Pakistan fans dominated a crowd of more than 16,000, giving it the air of a home game for Sarfraz's men in Birmingham, a city with one of the largest Asian populations in Britain. "That is a feeling we miss, not playing in Pakistan," said Sarfraz. "Maybe that was a difference, the crowd was supporting us and that's why the players were boosted."
Pakistan have had to play most of their matches overseas since a 2009 terror attack on the Sri lankan team bus in lahore. But chants of "Pakistan Zindabad!" ("long live Pakistan!") rang round Edgbaston which was turned into a sea of green.
Sarfraz's side gave their fans reason to cheer when spinners Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez took three early wickets before paceman Hasan Ali removed a trio of middle-order batsmen.
Pakistan kept the Proteas to a modest 219 for eight in their 50 overs, having conceded exactly 100 more against title-holders India.