Discover how Shivam Dube, fresh off a T20 World Cup victory, cleverly disguised himself and took a train home to Mumbai, navigating fan frenzy and logistical challenges.
Key Points
- Shivam Dube played a crucial role in India's T20 World Cup victory, scoring 235 runs and taking five wickets.
- After the World Cup win, Dube travelled from Ahmedabad to Mumbai by train with his wife and a friend due to unavailability of flights.
- Dube disguised himself with a cap, mask, and full-sleeved T-shirt to avoid being recognised by fans during the train journey.
- His wife Anjum Khan cleverly deflected questions from the ticket examiner about Dube's identity.
Shivam Dube played a key role in India's triumphant run at the T20 World Cup 2026. The Mumbai cricketer scored 235 runs and took five wickets during the tournament.
The 32 year old also produced a crucial cameo in the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8. Walking in late in the innings, the left-hander blasted 26 runs from just eight balls.
Once the celebrations ended and India had secured their record-extending third T20 World Cup crown, Dube faced a very different challenge -- getting back home.
According to The Indian Express newspaper, the all-rounder travelled from Ahmedabad to Mumbai by train along with his wife Anjum Khan and a friend after discovering that all flights were fully booked.
Despite the risk of being recognised by fans, Dube was eager to get back to Mumbai as quickly as possible 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.
'Me, my wife and a friend decided to take a train. 3rd AC tickets were available, so we decided to book them. Everyone we spoke to was worried. What if someone recognised me at the station or inside the train?'
The Disguise
To keep a low profile, Dube decided to disguise himself.
'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.
Once inside the coach, the all-rounder kept out of sight by climbing to the top berth. When the travelling ticket examiner came to check tickets, his wife handled the situation smartly.
'Shivam Dube? Woh kaun hai, cricketer?' the TTE asked, and Anjum replied, 'No, no. Woh kahan se aayega? (where will he come from?)'
Dube said the journey itself went smoothly, although he stayed cautious throughout.
But he was worried about getting down at Borivali in broad daylight as he wouldn't have been able to escape attention there.
Police Escort
Expecting crowds at Borivali station, he informed the police in advance.
'They (police) 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.'
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