'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif took the first wicket of his cricket career on Friday (September 16) while playing for India Maharajas against the World Giants at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The two exhibition sides played each other in a one-off game before the Legends League Cricket gets underway.
The part-timer came in to complete the 16th over after Ashok Dinda was injured after bowling four deliveries. Thisara Perera 23(16) welcomed Kaif with a huge six between mid-wicket and long-on. However, he was caught off the next ball as pacer Parvinder Awana took a sensational catch and the bowler had the last laugh.
Kaif has represented India in 13 Tests and 125 ODIs. Over the course of his career he had bowled 18 balls in Test cricket but didn’t pick up a wicket. However, he has scalped 53 wickets in his List A and First Class career.
Legends League Cricket: Mohammad Kaif bags wicket as World Giants set a target of 171 runs for India Maharajas
The Harbhajan Singh-led India Maharajas restricted the World Giants to 170/8 in their allotted 20 overs on Friday. Kevin O’Brien emerged as the top-scorer with 52 runs off 31 balls, which included nine fours and a six. Denesh Ramdin also smashed an unbeaten 42 runs off 29 deliveries.
Pankaj Singh was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 5/26. Harbhajan, Joginder Sharma and Kaif settled for one wicket each. The skipper also took four catches against Jacques Kallis and Co.
While India Maharajas boast of Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan, the World Giants also have big players like Muttiah Muralitharan, Kallis and Daniel Vettori in their ranks.
The exhibition match is being played to celebrate the 75th Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, i.e., 75 years of independence, before the main league kicks off. The entire proceeds of the game will be donated to charity.
The six-team T20 league will start on September 17 and go on till October 5. Around 90 cricket legends will take part in 16 matches across five venues -- Kolkata, Lucknow, Delhi, Cuttack, and Jodhpur.
The Gautam Gambhir-led India Capitals will take on Sehwag’s Gujarat Giants at the same venue on Saturday (September 17). The tournament also features India Maharajas, Manipal Tigers and Bhilwara Kings.
