New Delhi: “The bus driver drives a convertible now,” said former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif while re-calling Nasser Hussain’s sledge during the 2002 Natwest finals against England.
Kaif’s remark came as former England skipper Nasser Hussain revisited the Natwest finals 2002 against India.
Recalling the game during a Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Hussain said that England had dismissed the top-five of India (Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Mongia, and Rahul Dravid) and from there, India’s chances were looking bleak in the match.
Hussain also said that when Kaif came out to the middle to bat, he ended up sledging by saying: “I think he must drive the bus, I think he drives Tendulkar around the bus”.
To this, Kaif replied and tweeted: “@nassercricket, thanks to that innings the bus driver drives a convertible now @skycricket”.
During the Sky Sports podcast, Hussain also said that Natwest finals in 2002 is still remembered by everyone as two then-rookies (Kaif and Yuvraj) guided India to an improbable win.
He said that if India was guided to a victory by either Tendulkar or Ganguly, it would not have had such an impact.
In the Natwest final, India was set a target of 326 to win the match. India was struggling at 146/5 when both Yuvraj and Kaif got together at the crease.
The duo put on a partnership of 121 runs to give India a glimmer of hope in the match.
Yuvraj was dismissed for 69 runs, but Kaif batted well the tailenders to give India a win in the final over by two wickets and with three balls to spare.
After the win, then skipper Ganguly took off his shirt and celebrated in style at the Lord’s dressing room.
During England’s innings, Nasser Hussain also scored a century and went on to play a knock of 115 runs. (ANI)
