ISLAMABAD: Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has welcomed his first child, a baby boy, according to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement on Saturday, prompting an outpouring of congratulatory messages.
The Pakistani pacer married Ansha Afridi, daughter of former cricket star Shahid Afridi, in February last year in a widely covered ceremony in Karachi.
The event was attended by numerous sports figures and celebrities, making headlines across the country.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi has been blessed with a baby boy,” the PCB statement said. “The Pakistan team players, management and PCB have congratulated him.”
Afridi, who is currently playing the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, will leave for Karachi to be with his family after the match ends on Sunday.
After taking a wicket, he celebrated the birth of his child on the field by joining his hands and rocking them in a cradling motion, mimicking holding a baby.
He will rejoin the team before the second Test, which is scheduled to be played from August 30 to September 3.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi congratulated him earlier in the day through a social media post.
“Congratulations to @iShaheenAfridi on the birth of his son,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “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 new born,” he continued. “Kudos to the player for such unwavering commitment to Pakistan!”
Pakistan’s javelin ace Arshad Nadeem, who won a gold medal for the country in the Paris Olympics, expressed similar sentiments, as he prayed for the new born.
“Congratulations to Shaheen Shah Afridi @iShaheenAfridi on the birth of your precious baby boy,” he said on the social media. “And heartfelt congratulations to Shahid Afridi @SAfridiOfficial on becoming a grandfather.”
“May Allah bless the little one with health, happiness,” he added. “Prayers and best wishes to your family for this beautiful new chapter.”
