The troika of Pankaj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Tanmay Srivastava scripted India Maharaja's stunning six-wicket victory over World Giants in a special exhibition game at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The game was played ahead of Legends League Cricket, beginning on Saturday (September 17).
But what grabbed everyone's headlines was Mohammad Kaif. In the sixteenth over of the match, when Mohammad Kaif – known largely as a batter during his playing days – incredibly dismissed Thisara Perera. Kaif had come in to bowl after Ashoke Dinda, who originally began the 16th over, had to walk off after four deliveries due to some pain in his thigh.
Kaif, filling in for two deliveries, conceded a six off his first as he came around the wicket against the Sri Lankan Perera. However, Kaif changed the side and bowled wide outside the off-stump; Perera, in a bid to go for another big hit, swings his bat hard but fails to find any timing. He was caught by Parvinder Awana.
Taking about the match, Yusuf, who had slammed the second-fastest IPL fifty in 15 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad here in their triumphant 2014 campaign, showed his old fury in a 35-ball 50 not out to take them home with eight balls to spare.
Yusuf, a winner of three IPL titles, struck all around the Eden including a huge six off Daniel Vettori into the stands in his assault to lead the charge. In all, he struck two sixes and five fours.
No 3 Tanmay Srivastava (54) gave a fine support at the other end as the duo put together a match-turning 103-run partnership after Maharajas were reduced to 50/3 after the powerplay in pursuit of a challenging 171.
It was time for Harbhajan to roll back the years at this favourite venue Eden Gardens where he had become the first Indian bowler to claim a Test hattrick in the epic 2001 Test win against Australia.
Leading the side after Virender Sehwag opted out of captaincy, the veteran offspinner bowled Jacques Kallis round the legs and also took catches, including a well-judged backward running to dismiss Romesh Kaluwitherna to have the 15,000-odd crowd on its feet.
But the star of the day was tall pacer Pankaj Singh, who returned with 5/26 which included a maiden over as World Giants managed 170/8 after they opted to bat.
