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The Times of India
The Times of India
Sport
TOI Sports Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM

'Not a bad innings for a bus driver' - How Mohammad Kaif shot back at England captain Nasser Hussain after India won 2002 Natwest Series final

Chasing a mammoth 326 to win the 2002 Natwest Series final against England at Lord's, India lost half their side for only 146 when a young Mohammad Kaif walked in to join Yuvraj Singh, and the rest as they say is history.

Yuvraj (69) and Kaif (87 not out) not just resurrected India's run-chase with a partnership of 121 runs, but the latter stayed till the end to take India home for a famous title victory by two wicktets against Nasser Hussain's England.

Hussain, who scored 115, and added 185 runs with England's other centurion Marcus Treschothick (109), was on his haunches after India scored the winning runs in the final over and India captain Sourav Ganguly removed his shirt in the Lord's balcony to celebrate the win.

More than two decades later, Kaif told a story from the match about how Hussain sledged him when he came in to bat and how the Indian batsman replied the England captain -- first with the bat and then with words.

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"When I went in, Nasser Hussain said to me: 'Who is this guy? I think he's a bus driver, not a player'," recalled Kaif while talking on the 'Revenge Week' segment of Star Sports' show on IPL.

"I didn't reply to him. My dad had told me to reply with your bat. Finish your job. I was focused on playing till the end, and win the match for my team," Kaif added.

"So after winning the match, I replied to Hussain's remark: 'It's not a bad innings for a bus driver'."

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