Anjum Chopra, the former Indian women’s cricket team captain, shared an anecdote from the 1997 World Cup when India almost had to forfeit their opening encounter against Sri Lanka in Delhi due to the team bus driver getting lost.

Recalling the incident, Chopra revealed that the bus driver assigned to the team wasn’t familiar with the route from their accommodation facility to the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium. Even though they had a couple of Delhi residents in the team, including Chopra herself, they failed to reach the ground on time, circling around the same area for over half an hour.

Rain saved the day for them, however, as the match was delayed, and eventually abandoned without a ball being bowled. “During the 1997 World Cup, we were staying at DLTA – Delhi Lawn Tennis Association,” she said on 22 Yarns with Gaurav Kapur. “We were the poor cousins of million-dollar babies so we were accommodated wherever there was no rent or any other cheap option. We were to play a match against Sri Lanka, our first match [of the tournament] at Feroz Shah Kotla.

“So, we got on the bus and left for the stadium [in the morning], and we knew the play won’t start on time because it was raining. After about 10-12 minutes – I was sitting at the back – someone from the front called for the Delhi residents. And when I got to the front, I was told that the driver doesn’t know the route to Feroz Shah Kotla! I knew the way, but only from my place.

“I thought I was the only most knowledgeable person because everybody else, apart from Anju Jain and I, were not from Delhi. So, I was helping the driver with the route, who was using his own ‘internal GPS’ as well. After about half an hour, we came back to Sarojini Nagar [just one-kilometre from DLTA]. We were circling around Sarojini Nagar and South Extension and after half an hour again we were back in the same place.

A letter from a passionate fan of women’s cricket on India’s cancelled tour of England.https://t.co/sbabs4v4G4

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 24, 2020

“Now the toss was scheduled for 8.30am, so the captain should at least reach the stadium. And by 8.35, we were only moving in circles. Everyone else had reached the stadium and you can actually be declared as giving a walkover, [even if it’s raining] your team management and captain need to be there on the ground.

“So apparently, the captain and the vice-captain got off halfway through and took a taxi. And as it turned out, even the taxi driver didn’t know the way to Feroz Shah Kotla. I don’t know how we managed to reach the stadium but when we did, my parents, who had come to watch the game even though it was raining, were standing outside with a big smile on their face. And then the first thing we were told was, ‘Please go straight to the dressing rooms and don’t tell anyone that you have just reached’. We reached there at 9.05am.”