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'Maximum you get from Sachin was a pat on the back. But this time...': Kaif recalls what Tendulkar did after NatWest win
Mohammed Kaif recalled Sachin Tendulkar's surprising reaction after the former steered India to an incredible victory in the final of the NatWest series against England in 2002.
One of the most memorable wins for Team India in ODIs came in 2002 when the side defeated a strong England side in the final of the NatWest series. Chasing 326 to win, India found themselves reeling at 146/5 at one stage, having just lost the crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. Along with Indian fans, even the team management had started to lose hope for a comeback; however, two youngsters – Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif – not only steered India's recovery in the game but also took them closer to an unlikely win, before Kaif eventually partnered the tailenders efficiently to take India to a stunning victory.
Almost 20 years after the historic triumph at Lord's, Kaif opened up on the winning moments from the match in a free-flowing conversation on The Cricket Monthly, where he recalled Sachin Tendulkar's suprising reaction towards him as the latter sprinted across the field after the win.
"It was a massive feeling to see Sachin come to receive us. He was running towards me. The maximum reaction that you would get from him [usually] would be a pat on the back, even if you took a brilliant catch. Or at the most, he would shake hands, saying "Well played." So I was expecting him to do that, but rather, he opened his arms up to hug me. Wow! I wish people would have captured that. It remains etched in my mind," Kaif recalled.
John Wright, who was the Indian coach back then, also had a rather funny remark on Sourav Ganguly's legendary celebration after the win. The Indian skipper at the time, Ganguly famously took off his shirt and waved it inside the Lord's balcony – it was in reply to Andrew Flintoff doing the same a year ago after England's win over India in Mumbai.
“It was payback time! I don't think everyone would have done it. Sourav returned the gesture with interest (laughs). It's a great photograph. We wanted to avenge the drawn series in India, so there was revenge [on our minds],” Wright said.
