'Nasser Hussain called me a bus driver' - Mohammad Kaif recalls an incident from 2002 NatWest Trophy Final

During the India vs England clash in the ongoing ODI World Cup, former India batter Mohammad Kaif recalled an incident where former England captain Nasser Hussain called him a bus driver. Kaif, who was part of the commentary panel for the match, shared the incident with the viewers. The match took place at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on October 29, Sunday.

This incident was not the first time Kaif had spoken about it. The incident occurred during the final of the 2002 NatWest Trophy when India found themselves in a difficult position while chasing a massive target of 326 runs. Having lost their top five batters, including Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Mongia, and Rahul Dravid, India's chances seemed bleak. However, Mohammad Kaif stepped up to the challenge and came out to bat in the middle.

Partnering with Yuvraj Singh, Kaif stitched a brilliant partnership that eventually led to India's victory. Kaif played an exceptional innings, scoring 87 runs off 75 balls with six fours and two sixes. His contribution was crucial in India's successful chase. Yuvraj Singh also played a significant role, scoring 69 runs off 63 balls with nine fours and one six. Harbhajan Singh, the off-spinner, played a quick cameo of 15 runs.

This remarkable performance earned Kaif the title of man of the match. The victory was a memorable one for the Indian team, as they won the match by two wickets with three balls remaining.

During this match, former England captain Nasser Hussain sledged Kaif by saying, "I think he must drive the bus, I think he drives Tendulkar around the bus." Hussain had previously opened up about this incident during a Sky Sports podcast. Kaif recalled this incident while commentating on the India vs England match in the World Cup 2023.

In the current match, England skipper Jos Buttler won the toss and elected to field first. India faced an early setback as they lost three wickets, including Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, before reaching a score of 100. However, captain Rohit Sharma remains at the crease and is looking well-set for another century. He is currently partnered with Suryakumar Yadav.