"I wore a cap, mask.." - Shivam Dube's secret train journey to home revealed after T20 World Cup 2026 triumph

India made history by winning their second consecutive ICC Men's T20 World Cup title and their third overall after defeating New Zealand in the 2026 final. India became the first team to defend the T20 World Cup title successfully while achieving their first World Cup victory on home territory.

Shivam Dube performed unexpected actions which attracted public attention at the Narendra Modi Stadium where the Indian team celebrated their historic victory. Dube, who is 32 years old, took a train to Mumbai after the stadium filled with fans chanting his name.

Dube chose to travel by train because all flights from Ahmedabad to Mumbai were fully booked after the final match. Dube and his wife Anjum together with a friend purchased tickets for the AC 3-tier coach of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Sayaji Express. The all-rounder wanted to go home to see his four-year-old son Ayaan and two-year-old daughter Mehwish.

Dube created a travel plan to protect his identity from fans who might recognize him. He used a cap and mask together with a full-sleeved T-shirt to conceal his identity while he boarded the train. Dube remained in his car until five minutes before the 5:10 AM train departure time when he ran to the platform to enter the coach.

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Shivam Dube’s secret train ride ends smoothly in Mumbai

The cricketer entered the room and went to the top berth to cover his body with a railway blanket which made him invisible. At one point, even the ticket checker passed by without recognising him, thanks to his disguise. Dube later confessed that he felt anxious about being detected when he left the train at the Mumbai station.

Dube needed police help at the station exit because he wanted to avoid the chaos of the main area but his exit path led to two police officers who remained at that spot. The Indian all-rounder who finished the tournament successfully completed his train journey which ended in an unexpected way.

Dube helped India win the championship by scoring 235 runs across the tournament with a batting average of 39 and a strike rate of 169 which included his vital final match performance that allowed India to achieve a score above 250 runs.