(Image Source: PTI)
[Saba Sports News] During the India vs. England ODI World Cup clash, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif recalled an incident where former England captain Nasser Hussain had referred to him as a bus driver. Kaif, part of the commentary panel for the match, shared this memory with viewers. The match took place at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday, October 29.
This incident originally occurred during the final of the 2002 NatWest Trophy. India faced a daunting target of 326 runs and had lost five top-order batsmen, including Ganguly, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Mongia, and Dravid. Kaif then stepped up to the challenge and partnered with Yuvraj Singh, forging a brilliant partnership that led to India’s victory. Kaif’s outstanding innings of 87 runs off 75 balls played a pivotal role in the successful chase. Yuvraj Singh also contributed significantly with 69 runs off 63 balls. Harbhajan Singh made a quick cameo with 15 runs.
Kaif’s stellar performance earned him the man of the match title, and India won the game by two wickets with three balls to spare. During this match, Nasser Hussain had sledged Kaif, saying, ‘I think he must drive the bus, I think he drives Tendulkar around the bus,’ as revealed by Hussain himself in a Sky Sports podcast. Kaif shared this incident while commentating on the India vs. England match in the 2023 World Cup.
In the current match, England’s captain Jos Buttler won the toss and chose to field first. India faced early setbacks, losing three wickets, including Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, before reaching 100 runs. However, captain Rohit Sharma remains at the crease and is well-set for another century, currently partnering with Suryakumar Yadav.