Cricketer found running in train from Ahmedabad, when TC recognized him, interesting story came to light

Hours after India’s emphatic 96-run win over New Zealand in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8, 2026—where India posted a record 255/5 and bowled out NZ for 159—star all-rounder Shivam Dubey decided to return home in a low-key manner. After the celebrations, flights to Mumbai were fully booked, so Dubey, his wife Anjum Khan and a friend boarded the early morning Ahmedabad-Mumbai Sayaji Express (which departs around 5:10 am) in an AC 3-tier coach.

To avoid detection, the 6’3″ tall left-handed man wore a cap, mask and a full-sleeved T-shirt. He waited in the car for a few minutes before leaving, then quickly climbed into the upper berth and hid under the blanket. The family’s aim was to meet their children as soon as possible: four-year-old son Aayan and two-year-old daughter Mehvish.

Dubey told The Indian Express that the train was faster than driving. A tense moment came when the ticket collector (TC), seeing the name on the chart, asked loudly, “Shivam Dubey? Who is that, the cricketer?” Anjum immediately shrugged it off: “No, no. Where will that come from?” (No, where would that come from?), convincing TC to proceed.

The journey was easy throughout the night; Dubey went down to the washroom for a while without any problem. Reaching Borivali in broad daylight, concerns grew about the crowds, so he approached Mumbai Police for an escort—the officers were surprised that he was on a train, not a flight. Getting out was easy.

Dubey’s tournament stats: 235 runs (average ~39.17, strike rate 169.06) in 9 innings, including an unbeaten 26 off 8 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) in the death overs of the final, taking India past 250, along with taking 5 wickets. His short train journey gave the world champion a rare anonymity before the Mumbai spotlight.