Sourav Ganguly , former Indian captain, in his upcoming autobiography, 'A Century Is Not Enough,' talks about one of his tours to Pakistan where he quietly snuck out from the hotel
New Delhi (Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2018) : Sourav Ganguly , former Indian captain, in his upcoming autobiography, 'A Century Is Not Enough,' talks about one of his tours to Pakistan where he quietly snuck out from the hotel. Ganguly had evaded security for the adventure and got a call from the then President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf. In 2004, India, which was touring Pakistan was staying at the Lahore's Pearl Continental Hotel. Given the condition, security was tight in and around the hotel.
However, the Indian captain just wanted to escape and 'visit the iconic food Street (Gawalmandi) for kebabs and tandoori dishes'. "I didn't inform our security officer as I knew he would have stopped me. I had only told our team manager Ratnakar Shetty. I slipped through the backdoor with a cap which covered half my face. I knew it was breaking the rules, but I felt I had to get away from the rifles and tanks," Ganguly mentions in his autobiography.
Ganguly did use a cap and voice modulation as a disguise to hang out in the open. "Arey aap Sourav Ganguly ho na?" someone asked excitedly. I said no in a slightly modulated voice. He shook his head and said, 'I thought as much. Par aap bilkul Sourav jaise dikhte ho.'" Ganguly further mentions in his book, "We were about to finish our dinner when someone finally called my bluff. A few yards from where we sat was Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai.
The moment Rajdeep spotted me, he started shouting, Sourav, Sourav. I knew I was in trouble." "People started coming in from all directions and I got gheraoed. While I tried to pay the bill and escape, the shopkeeper refused to accept payment. He kept on saying, 'Bahut achcha. "While we were making our way back to the hotel a speeding motorbike chased our car. The biker was asking me to roll down the window. My co-passengers kept telling me not to as they feared he might have a bomb.
I, however, did not see any threat and obliged. He stretched out his hand and echoed the shopkeeper in Food Street, "I am a big fan of yours." The story of that night did not end there as Ganguly reached back at the hotel safely he received a call from the head of the state at that time General Pervez Musharraf. Ganguly writes, "President Musharraf was polite but firm. He said, "Next time you want to go out please inform the security and we will have an entourage with you. But please don't indulge in adventures."
