Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has jokingly stated that he and Yusuf Pathan are available to play the upcoming season of the IPL. Both players are featuring for the Indian Maharajas in the ongoing inaugural edition of Legends League Cricket (LLC). Pathan scored 80 runs of just 40 balls while Kaif amassed an unbeaten 42. Both the batters stitched a partnership of 117 for the fourth wicket after the team were tottering at 34/3 at one stage.
Batting first, Asia Lions posted a total of 175/7, thanks to Upul Tharanga (66) and Misbah-ul-Haq (44*). For India, Manpreet Gony took three wickets while Irfan Pathan scalped a couple and Munaf Patel and Stuart Binny took one each. In reply, the Mohammad Kaif-led side had a poor start as they lost the wickets of Stuart Binny (10), Naman Ojha (20) and S. Badrinath (0) cheaply.
The fourth wicket partnership between Kaif and Yusuf made sure team went over the line with five balls to spare. Irfan played a cameo of unbeaten 21 in 10 deliveries. Both the teams will face each other in the return fixture on January 24.
After the win, Kaif posted a picture of him alongside Yusuf with a caption saying that both the players are ready to play the IPL.
IPL teams we are ready. DM before auction. Ek pe ek free wala option bhi hai … 😊 @llct20 pic.twitter.com/FRyQdJCv9d
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 21, 2022
The 2012 and 2014 winners Kolkata Knight Riders were quick to come up with a funny response.
They posted a GIF video which read “Bhai Wah” with a caption, “Offer toh zabardast hai! #IPLAuction.”
👀 Offer toh zabardast hai! #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/z3ujZBwrf3
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) January 21, 2022
Below is how people reacted to Kaif’s tweet
hii KKR Bring back Yusuf Pathan I repeat Bring back Yusuf Pathan
— NazAkat ManHas (@NazakatManhas24) January 21, 2022
Kaif bhai aap ki jawaani ka kya raaz hai?
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 21, 2022
You and Irfan pathan was looking very fit and fresh in yesterday match.. Wckt by irfan was proved how he is still fit and best swing ikon 👍
— Niirav Vaishnav (@Niiravvaishnav) January 21, 2022
Going by the average age in their side, @ChennaiIPL is definitely interested 😜 #CSK
— Jude Sannith (@JudeSannith24) January 21, 2022
You can still easily make it to the Indian middle order seeing what and how they are playing.:)
— soumendu samajpati (@soumendu_s) January 21, 2022
Both the players have previously played for different teams in the IPL. Kaif has played for Rajasthan Royals in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, he moved to Kings XI Punjab (Now Punjab Kings). Next year, he was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore and played for the side till the 2013 season. He has worked as an assistant coach to Brad Hodge in the now defunct Gujarat Lions in the 2017 season. He also worked as an assistant coach for Delhi Capitals in 2019 and 2020.