India’s T20 World Cup celebrations had barely begun when Shivam Dube made a quiet exit from Ahmedabad.
Just hours after India’s 96-run victory over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 final at Narendra Modi Stadium, the All-Rounder opted for an unexpected route home — boarding an early-morning train to Mumbai rather than joining post-final travel arrangements.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Dube explained that limited travel options pushed him toward the unusual plan. “There was no flight available, so I decided to take a train from Ahmedabad early in the morning to Mumbai.” He added that the rail journey offered a faster alternative to driving: “We could have gone by road but the train was faster.”
Disguised journey after World Cup triumph
The decision came soon after India secured their third men’s T20 World Cup title, becoming the first team in history to reach that milestone.
Dube had played a key role in the final, scoring 26 not out from eight balls, including two sixes and three fours in the closing stages of the innings. Across the tournament, he contributed 235 runs in eight innings at an average of 39.16 and a strike rate of 169.06 while operating primarily as India’s designated finisher.
Despite the magnitude of the victory, his immediate focus was returning home to Mumbai to reunite with his family — including his four-year-old son Aayaan and two-year-old daughter Mehwish.
Travelling alongside his wife Anjum and a friend, Dube attempted to avoid attention by disguising himself before boarding the train. “I wore a cap, a mask, and a full-sleeved t-shirt,” he said, explaining how he tried to remain unrecognisable as he waited inside his car until shortly before departure and boarded only minutes before the 5:10 AM train left Ahmedabad.
Once inside the AC 3-Tier coach, he climbed directly to the top berth in hopes of completing the journey unnoticed.
A tense moment with the ticket collector
The carefully planned disguise almost unraveled when a ticket collector entered the coach and began checking passenger details against the reservation list.
Spotting the name on the chart, the official reportedly asked whether the passenger named Shivam Dube was the cricketer. Before attention could turn toward the upper berth, Anjum Dube quickly intervened.
“No, no. Woh Kahan se aayega (Where will he come from)?” she told the ticket collector, dismissing the suggestion and helping maintain the disguise.
The response convinced the official, allowing the journey to continue without attracting a crowd — a situation that could have quickly escalated given the immense popularity of cricketers in India.
Quiet ride but nervous arrival in Mumbai
For most of the trip, the disguise worked.
Dube remained largely unnoticed while staying on the top berth during the eight-hour journey. Even when he briefly moved around the coach late at night, he avoided recognition.
“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 recalled.
As the train approached Mumbai in daylight, concerns grew about being recognised while exiting the station.
Police escort ensures smooth exit
To manage the situation, Dube contacted Mumbai Police before arrival to arrange assistance.
“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,” he said.
With the escort in place, the All-Rounder was able to leave the station without attracting large crowds — a rare moment of anonymity for a player who had just helped deliver one of the biggest victories in Indian cricket.
For a brief eight-hour journey between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, the World Cup winner traded stadium lights and national celebrations for the quiet anonymity of a train’s top berth.
