When Sachin didn’t let other players join Dada’s t-shirt swinging party at Lord’s match

The image of Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly's iconic t-shirt swinging celebration from the Lord's balcony after the NatWest Trophy win in 2002 is etched in the memory of cricket lovers. While some view it as an apt reply to Andrew Flintoff's similar gesture in India earlier after England win, others feel it did not suit the gentleman's game. However, not many know that Ganguly wanted the entire team to take off their shirts in celebration, and it was Sachin Tendulkar who nixed Dada's party.The delightful anecdote was shared by BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla at the TOISA event when he was asked about his fondest cricket memory.Shukla said the NatWest Trophy final played between India and England at the Lord's Cricket Ground on July 13, 2002, has his top ranking.Shukla, who was the then team manager, recalled, "It was a great team with a blend of experience and youth, and we reached the final without much difficulty. In the final, England posted a mammoth 325, and I started panicking as we had to chase history to lift the trophy.""I turned to Virender Sehwag who assured me there was nothing to worry about. He opened the innings with Ganguly and forged a century partnership in 14 overs. But in the next nine overs, we were 146 for 5, including the wickets of Sachin (Tendulkar) and Rahul Dravid," he added.Shukla said that the sight of spectators leaving the stadium in dejection and the scoreboard shot up his blood pressure, and he had to go to the dressing room and take medication. "But the two youngsters, Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, played exceptionally well and scripted one of India's most famous wins.""Ganguly was super-excited. He asked me to tell the team to remove their T-shirts for the celebration, but Sachin advised me that it wouldn't look good as we had already won the trophy. I agreed with him, but nobody could stop Ganguly. He celebrated alone, swinging his t-shirt in the air from the Lord's balcony, a moment that has since become iconic in the history of cricket," said Shukla.
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