3 cricketers who married their relatives
In the age of digital media, fans are not satisfied with just stories of excellence of cricketers in the lush green fields. They dig deeper for gossip than they would do for their daily activities.
And if that gossip is about a cricketer's personal life, the interest increases manifold. In recent times, weddings of cricketers have garnered a lot of attention and a few cricketers have tied knots with their relatives, putting love way and above all societal norms and bindings.
In this piece, we take a look at three cricketers who married their relatives.
#1. Shahid Afridi and Nadia Afridi
Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi likes to stay in the limelight, be it with his on-field excellence or off-the-field antics. Afridi, who is among the brightest talents to come out, grabbed eyeballs when he married his maternal cousin, Nadia.
The power couple tied the knot on October 22, 2000, when Afridi was just 20 years of age. It was an arranged marriage under the strict supervision of Shahid Afridi's father.
They have been living happily ever since and have five daughters. Afridi recently announced that his eldest daughter will be married to Pakistan international Shaheen Afridi.
Shahid Afridi, who was last seen in action in the controversial Kashmir Premier League, has represented Pakistan in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20I matches since making his debut in 1996. He has 11916 runs under his belt across formats and has picked up 541 wickets.
An illustrious all-rounder who can bowl leg-spin and can play the long handle, Afridi was the heart of the Pakistan side for a long time.
#2. Virender Sehwag and Aarti Ahlawat
Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag is an out-and-out entertainer. His swashbuckling starts have scripted India's victory in many matches across formats. Since his retirement, Sehwag has entertained fans with his two-liners and funny posts on social media.
Meanwhile, speaking about his marriage life, Sehwag started liking his now wife Aarti Ahlawat when he was seven years old. They dated for a long time before deciding to marry each other. However, they faced strong resistance from their families since they were distant cousins.
They finally managed to convince their families before tying the nuptial knot in 2004. Virender Sehwag and his wife have two sons.
The dashing opener, who was part of India's World Cup winning squad in 2011, was last seen in action during the Road Safety World Series earlier this year. The former international cricketer looked in his element and played a significant role in helping his side win the title.
#3. Mustafizur Rahman and Samia Parvin
Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has emerged as one of the best bowlers in the shortest format of the game. His back-of-hand deliveries and cutters make him a rare breed and have lifted Bangladesh's bowling standards to a new level. Mustafizur was in his element against Australia and played a pivotal role as Bangladesh pulled off a historic 4-1 win against the Aussies in a five-match T20I series.
After establishing himself in international cricket, Mustafizur also decided to settle in his life. Shortly after surviving the bombing in Christchurch, the young fast bowler decided to tie the knot. He married is maternal cousin, Samia Parvin, who is a psychology student at Dhaka University.
Mustafizur Rahman will be next seen in action during the second phase of IPL 2021 in the UAE followed by the T20 World Cup, slated to commence on October 17. A lot of hopes will be pinned on the young Bangladesh cricketer.