Mohammed Siraj (Image credit: BCCI)

NEW DELHI: After India won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title, broadcasters went around collecting reactions from the players following the historic triumph. Among them was Mohammed Siraj, who is well known for his witty and humorous responses, and he delivered another memorable moment when asked about his emotions after the victory.India lifted their third T20 World Cup title — having previously won the tournament in 2007 under MS Dhoni, in 2024 under Rohit Sharma, and now in 2026 under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav.

During the interaction, the presenter asked Siraj, “What will be the World Cup’s line, I only believe in…?”To which Siraj replied, “Whole team. It was God’s script as I was not in the team initially and then I got a surprise call and then we became the champions.”The presenter then asked: “Thoda sa frustrating ho sakta hai playing eleven se bahar rehna, lekin role kitna bada hai aap dono ka.” (It can be frustrating sometimes not being part of the playing XI, however, how big is your role?)Siraj responded with a humorous answer.“Haa bahut hi bada role hai hum dono ka, bahar baithke pani pilana back to back, bat uthana.” (Yes, we played a major role. Sitting outside and providing water to the players and holding their bats.)Standing beside him, Kuldeep Yadav burst into laughter.Siraj featured in just one match during the tournament, against the United States national cricket team, where he picked up three wickets for 29 runs. However, he did not play another game in the competition.Kuldeep also played only one match in the tournament — against Pakistan national cricket team — and took one wicket.“Net mein bowling. Fir humlog positive environment rakhte hai. Hamesha players ko aisa rehta hai ki khele, but team ka jo combination k liye humlog bahar baithe hai toh team is important. No person is important, but team is important. Toh humlog ka aisa tha ki team jo sochti hai wahi behtar hoga.” (Bowling in the nets. Then we keep a positive environment. Players always feel like they should play, but for the team combination if we are sitting outside, then the team is important. No person is important, but the team is important. So our thinking was that whatever the team thinks will be better), Siraj said.

India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph was ultimately shaped not by an uninterrupted march but by a moment of discomfort that forced a reset. While speaking to the Indian Express, Shivam Dube made that clear when he identified the defeat to South Africa as the moment when India truly sharpened into title-winning form.

That loss in the first match of the Super Eight stage, in his telling, refined the whole unit. “As a team, we peaked after the loss against South Africa. Before that game, we were playing well, but we all pulled up our socks after that. We were a completely different team, and our best came in the final,” Dube said.

Dube’s statement speaks of a team that used defeat as inspiration to notch up their displays. India had quality from the outset, but Dube’s words suggest that the setback stripped away whatever complacency still remained. By the time the final arrived, they were no longer just a side moving well through the tournament; they had transformed into a team with sharper purpose, cleaner execution and greater conviction.

“My role was simple and communicated a long time ago by coach Gautam Gambhir and Surya bhai – keeping the strike rate high. If I’m asked to bowl, keep a tight line and keep the runs down. During the last World Cup, too, I had a similar role, but that time I had only a couple of big knocks. This time, I told myself that I won’t think too far ahead and take things match by match,” Dube said.

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That clarity was key. In big tournaments such as the World Cup, star turns alone won’t win you the title. They are won through players understanding exactly what their team needs from them and delivering within the framework. Dube was performing a specific function defined by the team, and that precision gave him the freedom to do so.

“I always had the confidence and just backed myself. I had worked hard on it. There was clarity in what the team wanted from me. I didn’t promise anything to myself, and the goal was to win the World Cup at home,” he said.

That final thought neatly captures both his campaign and India’s larger journey. There was no obsession with personal milestones, no attempt to force a narrative around individual redemption. The focus stayed fixed on the larger prize. India’s run to the title, as Dube describes it, was built on absorbing a setback, sharpening after it, and producing the best cricket when the tournament demanded it most.

South Africa and West Indies cricket team (Agency Image)

The International Cricket Council has responded to allegations of bias after travel complications following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup sparked a major controversy involving several teams.Although the tournament concluded on Sunday with India national cricket team defeating New Zealand national cricket team in a one-sided final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, some participating teams have remained stuck in India due to ongoing airspace restrictions linked to the conflict in the Middle East and West Asia.Among those affected are the West Indies national cricket team and the South Africa national cricket team. The West Indies played their final match of the tournament on March 1 but are still in India, while South Africa have also been unable to leave after their semi-final defeat to New Zealand on March 4.In contrast, the England national cricket team returned home shortly after losing their semi-final to India on March 5. The difference in travel timelines has triggered criticism, with many questioning how England managed to depart while other teams remained stuck.One of the most outspoken voices has been former England captain Michael Vaughan, who accused the ICC of favouring certain teams.“All teams in this situation should be treated the same. Just because you are more powerful at the ICC table shouldn’t count,” he said.

Michael Vaughan post

According to a report by BBC, the ICC has strongly denied any suggestion of preferential treatment and clarified that logistical factors alone determined when teams could leave.“Decisions on departure sequencing are being driven solely by airspace availability, aircraft routing permissions, visa requirements and operational safety considerations.“Any suggestion that teams have been prioritised based on anything other than these constraints is incorrect,” BBC quoted an ICC spokesperson.The situation had already drawn attention earlier when West Indies head coach Daren Sammy expressed his frustration on X. In one post he wrote, “I just wanna go home”, before sharing additional messages reflecting the team’s growing impatience.Subsequent reports indicated that arrangements had been made for a chartered flight to take the Caribbean side home, with the team expected to depart later today. South Africa’s squad is also likely to leave India today.The ICC also explained why England were able to travel earlier than the other teams.“For instance, the England team and their staff were able to fly out from Mumbai without restriction due to the route’s airspace being unaffected and flights operating as usual.“The ICC categorically refutes any claims of bias in this or other instances, and has been fully accommodating of specific demands and conditions put forth by teams,” it said.