The 2002 Natwest series final between India and England at Lord’s is still remembered to be one of the best chases in the history of cricket. India required 326 to win, and despite going five wickets down, two young lads, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif went on to finish the chase, and helped India win the trophy. Both the cricketers broke into stardom immediately afterwards, and to this day, it is remembered as Kaif’s finest innings.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain, who was leading England’s troops in that memorable encounter recalled how he tried to sledge Kaif when he came out to bat, and called him a “bus driver”. “It was the greatest innings that lad played. He will be remembered for that. I saw a picture of him and Yuvraj with the Lord’s in the background, and he had tweeted, “great memories”,” he said in Sky Sports Podcast.
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“I remember him coming in and there was a bit of sledge, because we had them five wickets down, and someone said - ‘who’s this, then skip’. So, I said ‘I think he might drive the bus, he might drive Tendulkar on the bus’. When he hit the winning run, he gave me that look - ‘not bad for a bus driver!’,” he added.
“It is one of the most top-five cricket chases, in a nice sort of way. Because it was done by those two. If it had been done by Tendulkar and Sehwag - it would be like, ‘okay, those two did it again’. But it was done by two unknown young lads, and it gave a huge boost to Indian cricket,” he further said.
{{/usCountry}}“It is one of the most top-five cricket chases, in a nice sort of way. Because it was done by those two. If it had been done by Tendulkar and Sehwag - it would be like, ‘okay, those two did it again’. But it was done by two unknown young lads, and it gave a huge boost to Indian cricket,” he further said.
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Kaif was quick to share the audio clip of the clip from Sky Sports Podcast in which Hussain had recalled the “bus driver” sledge, and he wrote: “.@nassercricket, thanks to that innings the bus driver drives a convertible now.” He also made a smiley.
In the match, Kaif and Yuvraj had added 123-runs for the 6th wicket partnership before the latter was dismissed for 63-ball 69. Kaif carried on and won the match for India with two wickets remaining. He struck an unbeaten 87 runs in 75 balls.