Diogo Jota and his brother passed away in a car accident on July 3.
India pacer Mohammed Siraj came into the limelight for not only his excellent bowling in the ongoing third Test against England at Lord’s, but also for his emotional tribute to late footballer Diogo Jota.
Diogo Jota, 28, died in a automobile incident in Spain. His younger brother, Andre Silva, 25, also died in the tragedy. The footballer died on July 3, only ten days after his wedding.
Initial forensic tests indicated that Jota was probably speeding when he crashed his Lamborghini in northeastern Spain.
India pacer Mohammed Siraj paid tribute to Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota with a one-of-a-kind celebration during the third Test match against England. The incident occurred during the 107th over of England's first innings. Siraj disrupted a critical 84-run partnership between Smith and Brydon Carse.
Siraj rejoiced by pointing to No. 20 with his fingers after taking the wicket of English wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
In conversation with BCCI, Mohammed Siraj revealed his emotional reason for tribute to Diogo Jota.
“In the last match when we were arriving, I got to know that Diogo Jota passed away in a car accident. I’m a fan of Portugal because Cristiano Ronaldo plays for that team. I felt very emotional after hearing the news.
Life is very unpredictable. We fight so hard for things, but we do not even know what tomorrow holds. There is no guarantee in life. It was very shocking. Today, I got wickets, so I wanted to make that gesture for him. It was my way of showing respect,” Siraj said in a video posted by BCCI.
Siraj's remarks demonstrated the bond that players have with sports leaders in a variety of disciplines and conveyed the profound effect that the news had on him. Fans were moved by his on-field gesture and sincere remark, which served as a reminder of how fleeting and uncertain life is.