The China Mail - Real Madrid can wait - Siraj's dream night after late T20 call-up

Siraj took a wicket with his fourth ball of his first T20 international for 19 months against the USA on Saturday night.

He finished as India's leading bowler with 3-29 as they completed a 29-run win at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium after restricting the Americans to 132-8 in reply to 161-9.

The experienced quick bowler was only added to the squad 24 hours earlier as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana.

He then was parachuted straight into the team for the opening match against the United States after space spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was unable to play because of a fever.

"First of all, in the last 24 hours, when I was sitting on the flight, it felt like a dream," an beaming Siraj told reporters.

"God changed my destiny. I was spending time with my family ... suddenly, Surya bhai (captain Suryakumar Yadav) called me.

"He said, 'get ready, pack your bag, and come'."

The 31-year-old Siraj has been a regular performer for the Test team with 139 wickets in 45 matches but had not played a T20 international since July 2024.

After being initially left out of India's T20 World Cup squad, the Hyderabad-born Siraj had planned to go to Spain and watch his favourite football team, Real Madrid, in action.

"My plan was that on the 15th (of February), there was a Real Madrid match, and I was going to watch it," said Siraj.

"After that, Ramzan (Islamic month of fasting) was coming, so I had planned around that. But whatever God has written will happen."

He is a self-confessed Cristiano Ronaldo fan, has a wallpaper of the football icon on his phone and often celebrates his wickets with his idol's famous "Siu" celebration.

The co-hosts India next play Namibia in New Delhi on Thursday.

A.Sun--ThChM