48 hours before the T20 World Cup 2026, Mohammed Siraj was just India’s supporter. The T20 World Cup 2024 winner was nowhere in the Indian T20 team and would’ve thought to focus just on ODIs and Tests to mark his international career. After all, the last time Siraj featured in a T20 international for India was during a T20I series against Sri Lanka back in July 2024. It was Gautam Gambhir’s first series as India coach as well, where Siraj took just one wicket in three games.
Emotional Siraj on surprise T20 World Cup return
For Siraj, February was supposed to be quiet. No T20 cricket. No national duty. Just time at home, a bit of rest after grinding through domestic games, and plans to watch his favourite club, Real Madrid, play later in the month against Real Sociedad on February 14. India had moved on in T20s, and Siraj had made peace with that reality.
Then came the phone call. Suryakumar Yadav rang him up with a simple instruction to pack his bags and come. Siraj thought it was a joke. He laughed it off and told his captain not to mess around. Before Siraj could process it, another call followed, this time from Pragyan Ojha, part of BCCI’s selection committee.
“Miya bag pack kar le and come’ (pack your bags and come). I said, ‘Surya bhai, mazaak mat karo‘ (don’t joke, because this is not going to happen). He said, I’m telling you the truth—get ready. As soon as he hung up, I got a call from (Pragyan) Ojha. So suddenly, I got shocking news. No one can change what God has written. I came (and) played the match … everything was written.”
God’s plan for Siraj Miya
Everything happened fast after that. The disbelief stayed with him even as he packed, even as he left home. It only began to feel real when he boarded the flight to Mumbai on February 6. Sitting there, headed straight into a World Cup squad he never expected to be part of, Siraj admitted it felt like a dream he hadn’t allowed himself to see.
India looked to have moved on from Siraj in the shortest format. After all, he didn’t have enough stats to show as well, with Siraj taking 14 wickets in his first 16 T20Is, that too, at a bowling average of 32.28. The call only came because plans changed. Harshit Rana’s injury forced the selectors to look for a right-arm quick. While Rana, who did so well in 2025, had to miss out, it opened the doors for Siraj.
India replaced Rana with Siraj, and to top it off, the Gujarat Titans (GT) pacer got a game straightaway as Jasprit Bumrah missed out due to viral fever. Suddenly, Siraj was no longer watching the World Cup. He was in it. What followed at the Wankhede felt fitting. Siraj, India, a World Cup, and early wickets. He bowled with the same discipline he had shown in domestic cricket, struck twice with the new ball, and finished with three wickets. Like he always does, Siraj bowled his heart out despite not knowing if he’ll play another game in the tournament.
