The way then Team India skipper Sourav Ganguly kept his Aussie counterpart Steve Waugh waiting for the toss in the 2001 Test series is indelible in the minds of cricket lovers. It was a mind game to beat the invincible(s).

Cut to 2013. Art, culture and youth affairs minister Sukhada Pandey on Thursday “bettered” Sourav’s record. The chief guest interrupted the opening match of the 14th Randhir Verma Foundation Cricket Tournament around 10.55am and inaugurated the event.

Sourav kept Waugh waiting in more than one Test in 2001 for around 10 minutes. Pandey kept the charged-up cricketers waiting for 23 minutes, till she did the honours.

The opening match of the tourney between Dony Polo Public School and Model Central High School resumed after Pandey left around 11.18am.

When the minister walked into Moinul Haque Stadium, three overs were bowled and Dony Polo Public School had scored 33 runs for the loss of a wicket. A Model Central High School bowler, about to start his next over, halted midway and the scorekeeper put down his pen when BJP state vice-president Sanjay Mayukh called for the game to be stopped over the public address system.

In walked Pandey, 25 minutes behind the scheduled inauguration time of 10.30am. Both umpires asked the players to stop the match and hand over the ball.

Mayukh introduced the guests, including Pandey, IPS officer Alok Raj and BJP MLA Prem Ranjan Patel, to the players.

The commentator and the scorekeeper vacated their chairs for Pandey and her entourage. They occupied the chairs and she waved at the players, who chose to ignore.

The guests delivered speeches till 11.11am. On the ground, an agitated player gave vent to his frustration: “Don’t they have any respect for this game?”

At 11.12am, the guests shook hands with the players. At 11.14am, Pandey released balloons to inaugurate the tournament. A photo session with the players followed.

On the reason for interrupting the game, Pandey told The Telegraph: “I was not informed about any particular time to inaugurate the event. Had I been, I would have come at the precise time. I always attend my functions on time.”

Tournament secretary Satish Kumar Raju, however, said: “It is not our mistake. But we dare not say anything to a minister.”

The clock ticked 11.18. The match resumed. Sourav’s record broken!