When Team India-Led Sourav Ganguly Sneaked Out at Midnight and Received a Warning Call From Pervez Musharraf
General Parvez Musharraf, former President of Pakistan breathed his last on Sunday at Dubai’s American Hospital Dubai after prolonged sickness. Apart from being the President, he was a kin lover of cricket and how one can forget his personal love for MS Dhoni during the 2004 Bilateral Series in Pakistan. But there is another incident with former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, where the ex President himself gave a warning call, which left the then Men in Blue captain mortified.
Ganguly said in his book, ‘A Century is Not Enough’, that during the 2004 bilateral series in Pakistan, he and his teammates sneaked out of the hotel at midnight to enjoy delicious the kebabs and tandoori dishes at Lahore’s street food haven Gawalmandi.
”Well past midnight I discovered my friends were making plans to visit the iconic food street for Kebabs and Tandoori dishes. The area is known as Gawalmandi”, he told.
”I didn’t inform our security officer as I knew they would’ve stopped me. I had only told our Team Manager Ratnakar Shetty”, he added.
The former KKR man said that he slipped through the backdoor with a cap that covered half of his face.
”I slipped through the backdoor with a cap that covered half my face…I knew it was breaking the rules”.
He also wrote that later on they were spotted by a journalist and was chased by many when they were trying to reach the hotel.
”We were about to finish our dinner when someone finally called my bluff. I was spotted by a journalist, when he said, ‘Sourav, Sourav’. I knew I am in trouble. While I tried reaching the hotel I was chased by many”, he said.
Even though the players reached their hotel safely, but as soon as they reach the hotel, the captain got a phone call from President Musharraf and he said not to indulge in adventures at midnight and the next time they plan to go out, it is better to inform the security beforehand.
”Next time you want to go out please inform the security we will have an entourage with you. But please don’t indulge in adventures at midnight”, Pervez Musharraf told to Sourav over phone.
