Mohammad Kaif banters Shoaib Akhtar for run-up

"I could've had a cup of tea by the time he delivered the ball," former India batter Mohammad Kaif recalled facing former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar for the first time.

A young Mohammad Kaif was a key component in India's white-ball side that flourished under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly. A handy middle-order batter as well as being a brilliant fielder, Kaif and Yuvraj Singh had injected much-needed fresh blood and balance to the Indian side in the early 2000s.  

"The first time I faced you [Shoaib Akhtar] was in a practice match in Kochi in 1999. I waited and kept waiting while Shoaib Akhtar kept running, and running," Kaif said while he spoke to Akhtar during a candid talk-show titled 'SK Uncensored', arranged by Sportskeeda, where the Indo-Pak pair virtually joined and fondly recollected their on-field interactions.

Kaif was not still done talking about Shoaib's run-up.

 "Your run-up just did not seem to end. And there I was, as I kept hitting the popping crease as I waited, wondering when the ball would finally arrive," Kaif reiterated and both the players broke out in laughter.

"You had a thirty-yard run-up and started bowling from the sight-screen," Kaif added, to which Shoaib Akhtar replied:

"And just because I made you wait, you had to take revenge during 2004," Akhtar pointed at the India-Pakistan game of the 2003 ODI World Cup.

In that game between arch-rivals, against a fearsome pace bowling line-up of Akhtar, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, Kaif and Sachin Tendulkar stitched a match-winning 102-run stand for the third wicket to steer India to a six-wicket victory, as they chased 273 with 26 balls to spare.