Dawn Images

In a heartwarming update from the cricketing world, fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and his wife Ansha Afridi have welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Aliyaar Afridi.

The joyful news was shared by the Afridi family through the official Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) WhatsApp group on Saturday.

Shaheen, who is currently engaged in a Test match against Bangladesh, plans to return to Karachi to meet his newborn son and wife after the match is over.

Afridi is expected to rejoin his team ahead of the second Test scheduled to commence in Pindi on August 30.

Ali Yar’s birth also makes ex-cricketer and Ansha’s father Shahid Afridi a grandfather.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem have congratulated the couple on X.

Images has reached out to the Afridis for a comment.

Shaheen dedicated a wicket during the match against Bangladesh to his newborn son by gesturing like he was rocking a baby!

Shaheen and Ansha tied the knot in Karachi in September 2023. Their reception, held in Islamabad, 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, who extended their heartfelt wishes to the newlyweds.

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.