India’s T20 World Cup celebrations were still in full swing when all-rounder Shivam Dube made a rather unexpected journey home. Instead of flying back from Ahmedabad after the final, Dube travelled to Mumbai by train, all because he wanted to see his children as soon as possible.
Dube was one of India’s standout performers during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The all-rounder featured in all nine matches for the top-ranked T20I side, scoring 235 runs and taking five wickets during the tournament.
He also played a crucial cameo in the final against New Zealand on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Coming in late in the innings, Dube smashed 26 runs off just 8 balls, with most of the damage coming in the final over. He hammered three fours and two sixes, collecting 24 runs in the 20th over to give India a strong finish.
India went on to lift the trophy, securing their record-extending third T20 World Cup title. While most players headed back by air, Dube had to take a different route. According to a report by The Indian Express, all flights from Ahmedabad to Mumbai were fully booked after the final.
With no seats available, the Mumbai-based cricketer decided to take the early morning train instead. His main motivation was simple, he wanted to reach home quickly to see his four-year-old son Ayaan and two-year-old daughter Mehwish.
“There was no flight available, so I decided to take a train from Ahmedabad early in the morning to Mumbai. We could have gone by road, but the train was faster,” Dube told The Indian Express.
Dube travelled with his wife Anjum Khan and a friend. The trio managed to get 3rd AC tickets, but they were aware that the journey could attract attention if fans recognised him.
Everyone around him had the same concern. “What if someone recognises you at the station or inside the train?” they wondered.
To avoid being spotted, Dube came up with a simple disguise. “I wore a cap, a mask and a full-sleeved T-shirt. It was a 5.10 am train, so we hoped there would not be many people on the platform,” he said.
But even with the early departure, there were plenty of passengers around. So Dube adjusted the plan.
He decided to stay inside the car until just a few minutes before departure and then quickly rushed onto the train to avoid drawing attention.
Once inside, he climbed straight to the top berth and kept a low profile for most of the journey. At one point, the travelling ticket examiner came to verify tickets, and that moment could have exposed him. But his wife handled the situation cleverly.
The TTE asked, “Shivam Dube? Woh kaun hai, cricketer?” Anjum calmly replied, “No, no. Woh kahan se aayega?”, essentially brushing off the question and keeping Dube’s identity hidden.
The rest of the journey passed without incident. Dube later revealed that no one recognised him, even when he briefly stepped down from the berth during the trip.
However, he knew the real challenge could come once the train reached Mumbai. Borivali station in daylight could easily attract attention, especially after India’s World Cup triumph. To avoid chaos, Dube decided to contact the police before arriving.
“They thought I was landing at the airport but were surprised when I told them that I was travelling by train,” he said. The police arranged a quick escort to help him leave the station smoothly.
Thanks to that assistance, the journey ended without any drama and Dube finally made it home to celebrate the World Cup win with his family. For a player fresh from a global title victory, it was a refreshingly simple story: a champion cricketer, disguised on a train, just trying to get home to his kids.
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