Mohammad Kaif Reveals That His Heart Broke When Yuvraj Singh Got Out In The 2002 Natwest Final

Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh? Tell me what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear these two names in unison? Is it that the historic night of July 13, 2002, when the then youngsters rose to the occasion and pulled one of the Indian crickets greatest-ever wins in One-day International cricket? Surely!

India under Sourav Ganguly had made it a habit to falter at the final hurdle and leading into the 2002 Natwest final, they had lost 10-12 finals on the trot. And, when England shellacked their bowlers to the tune of 325 and reduced their famed batting-unit to 5-146, despite a hundred-run partnership between openers Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag, the writing was pretty much on the wall.

Enter Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif. The duo had that innate belief in themselves that they could pull this off. They ran hard between the wickets, converting singles in twos and Yuvraj took the lead as far as hitting big shots was concerned. The duo racked up a 121-run-stand for the sixth wicket but just as it was looking that India were heading for a comfortable win, Yuvraj top-edged a Paul Collingwood delivery straight to short fine-leg at the score of 69.

Mohammad Kaif, in an Instagram live chat with Yuvraj Singh, revealed that once the latter fell, he was left heartbroken and had this sickening feeling that the match was gone.

“When you (Yuvraj) got out, I thought the match is gone. I did not think we will win. I was set, you were there. So I believed if we played till the end India win will. But you got out and India lost hope and my heart broke,” Kaif said in an Instagram Live session with Yuvraj.

Also Read: I Had Also Removed My T-Shirt After The 2002 Natwest Final: Yuvraj Singh

Mohammad Kaif stayed unbeaten at 87 as India pulled off a miraculous run-chase

Kaif, however, picked from where Yuvraj had left. He pressed on the accelerator and along with Harbhajan Singh, who stroked some lusty blows himself took India ever so close to the finishing line. But Andrew Flintoff dismissed Bhajji and Anil Kumble on successive deliveries to bring another twist in the game.

But it was Kaif’s day. It was India’s day. And, it was proved to the hilt when he along with Zaheer Khan scampered for the last two runs in the final over, leading India to one of their most memorable heists in 50-over cricket.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly’s Masterstroke Of Promoting MS Dhoni At No. 3 That Changed Indian Cricket Forever