"Shaheen Shah Afridi has welcomed a son into his family."
Pakistani cricketer Shaheen Shah Afridi and his wife Ansha Afridi have welcomed their first child together.
They have a baby boy named Ali Yar.
The happy announcement was shared by the Afridi family through the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) WhatsApp group.
Congratulatory messages were posted on X.
Sports journalist Qadir Khawaja tweeted:
“Shaheen Shah Afridi has welcomed a son into his family.
“Congratulations to him and his family… May Allah grant the child health and well-being. Ameen.”
Arshad Nadeem, who won an Olympic gold medal in the men’s javelin, wrote:
“Congratulations to Shaheen Shah Afridi on the birth of your precious baby boy!
“And heartfelt congratulations to Shahid Afridi on becoming a grandfather.
“May Allah bless the little one with health, happiness. Prayers and best wishes to your family for this beautiful new chapter.”
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi wrote:
“Congratulations to @iShaheenAfridi on the birth of his son!
“May the family be blessed with all the happiness in the world, and may Allah (SWT) continue to shower His blessings on the family.
“It is heartening to witness that he is still continuing to play for Pakistan, and missing out on the invaluable time he could spend with his newborn.
“Kudos to the player for such an unwavering commitment to Pakistan!”
The arrival of the couple’s first child comes as Shaheen participates in the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
He plans to return to Karachi to see his wife and newborn son at the end of the first Test.
Shaheen is expected to rejoin his team ahead of the second Test, which is scheduled to commence on August 30, 2024.
In July 2024, reports circulated that Shaheen and Ansha were expecting their first child.
Pakistan’s red ball coach, Jason Gillespie, had mentioned the possibility of Shaheen Afridi missing the then-upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.
He said: “Shaheen can miss Bangaladesh Test matches due to childbirth.
“We can give him [some] rest if he wants to stay with his wife till then.”
The new arrival also makes former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi a grandfather.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Ansha tied the knot in September 2023.
Their reception was held in Islamabad and it was a glamorous affair that saw the attendance of numerous cricketing stars.
The events were attended by Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Imam-ul-Haq and Haris Rauf.
The couple’s union was marked by their Nikkah in February 2023 at a local mosque in Karachi, surrounded by close relatives and loved ones.
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