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India all-rounder Shivam Dube did not wait for celebrations after India’s T20 World Cup 2026 final win over New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Dube did not wait for the charter flights or any convoy to get back home. Instead, he chose to travel via train, boarding from Ahmedabad in the early hours to get back to his four-year-old son Aayaan and two-year-old daughter Mehwish in Mumbai.
“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.
Like every other prominent cricketer on Indian soil, Dube's family was worried about what if someone recognises him on the train and he gets mobbed. The tall all-rounder can't just blend in with the crowd. But, India's designated finisher wore a mask, full-sleeved T-shirt and opted for a train with departure time 5:10 AM.
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Wife Anjum’s quick thinking saves Dube from getting mobbed
Rarely seen cautious against bowlers, he was cautious about getting on the platform early. He waited in the car till only five minutes were left in train's departure. As he boarded the train, he quickly climbed to the top berth.
Soon, the ticket checker came and asked: 'Shivam Dube? Woh kaun hai, cricketer?" But, Dube was saved by his wife Anjum. She did not hesitate for a second and said: "No, no. Woh Kahan se aayega (where will he come from)? The TC seemed convinced with the answer and it was comfortable ride for the all-rounder.
Dube’s call for Mumbai police escort
He tried to catch-up on some sleep. But, he was worried about the attention at Borivali when he gets there in broad daylight.
“At night, I got down from the berth but no one recognised me on the way to the washroom and back. The train trip was smooth but I was worried about getting down at Borivali in broad daylight. I couldn’t have escaped attention there,” he said.
“They thought I was landing at the airport but were surprised when I told them that I was travelling by train. I was provided a police escort so things were easy and the exit was smooth.”
Dube’s numbers in T20 World Cup 2026
In the final, Dube made a useful contribution, hitting two sixes and three fours in the final over. The southpaw scored 235 runs from eight innings at an average of 39.16 and strike rate of 169.06.
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