T20 World Cup: Mohammed Siraj back home to rapturous welcome

HYDERABAD: T20 World Cup winner Mohammed Siraj returned home to a rapturous welcome on Friday night. A victory parade in his honour wound its way from Humayun Nagar to Lancer lane with DJ pumping up the volume with marfa music.
Young fans braved rain and walked all the way to the Eidgah Maaidan, a place Siraj calls his 'home ground'.
Fans started gathering at Mehdipatnam from 4 pm and the number grew manifold by 6.But it was not till 7.10 pm that Siraj emerged from his car, waving to the waiting fans. A few overenthusiastic fans climbed an oil tanker, stranded in traffic and a few rushed on to the PVNR Expressway, even before his car came down the flyover.
Siraj, sporting sunglasses and a jacket, emerged from his car, wrapped the tri-colour flag around him and wore the T20 World Cup medal around his neck much to the delight of the fans. The procession began at 7.20 and the fans followed him trying to capture the moment on their mobiles.
Despite the commotion all around, Siraj was quick to spot and urge the crowd to make way for an ambulance stuck in traffic. The fans obliged.
On reaching the ground after nearly 2-1/2 hours, Siraj thanked the fans for 'showering love' on him.
"This World Cup belongs to everyone from the nook and corner of the country who prayed for it. I am speechless right now. I want to tell everyone that belief is the key. Many people will say, we can't do anything. But you should not shy away from working hard. There will be ups and downs. You must be strong mentally. When you believe in yourself you can achieve anything."
Speaking about Eidgah, he said, "This is my home ground. I get so much peace and happiness visiting this place," he added.
He also thanked the Hyderabad police for their support. "Without their help, this would not have been passed peacefully. My heartfelt thanks to each one of them," he added.