'A truly special day': Rahul Dravid lauds Yuvraj, Kaif for NatWest heroics on 20th anniversary

A win that will always be remembered as a watershed moment in Indian cricket came back on July 13, 2022 when India beat England to clinch the NatWest Trophy. In a side that was filled with stars, two young turks in Mohammed Kaif and Yuvraj Singh fashioned an improbable win and gave India one of the most treasured victories. On the 20th anniversary of this win, current India head coach Rahul Dravid spoke beamingly about Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif and lauded them for stepping up with the bat when the team was reeling at one point in the match. In a video shared by Kaif across social media channels, Dravid mentioned that the NatWest series final win will always be one the most cherished moments for Indian cricket fans. He also recollected several fond memories from that particular day. Dravid praised Kaif and Yuvraj for turning the momentum of the game with their counterattacking 120-run partnership under pressure. He also said Yuvraj and Kaif, two young players who had hit their straps in junior cricket, had already brought in new energy to the team with their fielding and in this game, they were excellent with the bat as well. “It was a day when two young men, who had already shown their talent at the junior level, came really good in a high-pressure situation on a very big day. Big credit to Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif, who were obviously setting incredible standards with the way they were fielding and the energy they were creating on the field,” Dravid said in the video. Watch video:  

India were under immense pressure as they were chasing an imposing total of 325 and had lost half the side for 146. However, this was when Yuvraj and Kaif combined during the high-octane run-chase and India won the match with three balls to spare. Kaif was declared the Player of the Match for his unbeaten knock of 87. Yuvraj chipped in with 68 runs off 63 deliveries as India completed the win.