My favourite knock is of 71* against Pakistan in 2004, not the Natwest Trophy final, reveals Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif has been one of the finest cricketers and more specifically one of the most amazing fielders India has ever got. He scored 2753 runs from 125 ODIs at 32.01 but was known more for his brilliance in the field. He scored 20 fifties and three centuries for India but his knock of unbeaten 87 runs in the Natwest Trophy 2002 final is the most popular one. 

Kaif along with Yuvraj Singh stitched a crucial partnership of 121 runs in the final to rescue the team from the trouble. They took the score from 146/5 to 267/5. Yuvraj got out but Kaif saw the team through the finishing line. Surprisingly for Kaif, his knock of unbeaten 71 against Pakistan in 2004 is the favourite one and not the innings from the Natwest Trophy final.

"People always talk about my batting in the Natwest Trophy final. It is a very famous inning but it's not my favourite knock. But I would like to talk about another knock which is my favourite. This was against Pakistan in 2004. We had lost four wickets quickly and I had added a 132-run partnership with Dravid," Kaif told SportsKeeda.

Kaif’s half-century against Pakistan came in the fourth ODI of India’s historic tour of Pakistan in 2004. The Indian team was chasing a target of 294 to win the game and were reduced to 162/5 at one stage. Kaif and Rahul Dravid steadied the innings from there and formed a century-partnership to take India over the line. 

"We were chasing some 290. We were behind 1-2 in the series. It was in Lahore and I scored an unbeaten 72. I remember that knock fondly because we were able to level the series 2-2 and India won the series. We had toured Pakistan after a long time so that was special," he stated.