Ending months of speculation, former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi confirmed on Saturday that his oldest daughter would marry Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Shahid Afridi, who retired from international cricket in 2017 after a 21-year-long playing career for Pakistan, had triggered speculation about a marital alliance with Shaheen Afridi with a cryptic tweet in March. Shahid tweeted, "Shaheen's family approached my family for my daughter. Both families are in touch, matches are made in heaven, if Allah wills this match will be made too. My prayers are with Shaheen for his continued success on and off the field."
Shahid Afridi has five daughters, with Aqsa (20) the oldest. The youngest child, Arwa, was born in 2020.
Shahid Afridi told a Pakistani TV channel that Aqsa had no relationship with Shaheen prior to their engagement. "We Afridis have eight tribes; Shaheen and we belong to different tribes," Shahid Afridi was quoted as saying by Geo News.
Shahid Afridi claimed that Shaheen's parents had been desiring a marital alliance between the two families for two years. "My daughter is engaged to Shaheen, Alhamdulillah. We are not relatives but Shaheen’s family was approaching us for the last two years with the proposal. I asked my daughter and we made the decision together,” he was quoted as saying in reports.
Shahid said his daughter wanted to become a doctor and was considering education in the UK or Pakistan.
Shaheen Afridi, who is 21, made his international debut in 2018. Shaheen, a left-arm pace bowler, is popular for his imposing 6.6-foot frame.
While Shahid Afridi has retired from international cricket, he continues to play in the Pakistan Super League T20 tournament. Shahid plays for the Multan Sultans and has gone head-to-head with his future son-in-law, who plays for Lahore Qalandars.
