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5 Cricketers Who Married Their Relatives or Friend’s Wife

Cricketers are loved not just for displaying excellence on the field, but many of them are also admired for the great style statement that they make off-the-field. Needless to say, they are no less than any trendsetter for all their fans.

Are you a crazy fan of cricket and cricketers? Do you know their personal life yet? Check out some cricketers who married their relatives or a friend’s wife.

Virender Sehwag and Aarti Ahlawat

Virender Sehwag, the former swashbuckling opener of Indian cricket, has been married for the last 12 years to Aarti Ahlawat and has two adorable sons. But did you know the fact that Aarti is actually a distant relative of Sehwag?

Aarti Ahlawat’s sister, in an interview, confirmed that this was indeed a love marriage within their own family. It all began when Virender Sehwag’s cousin married Aarti Ahlawat’s aunt. At that time, Viru was just 7-years-old and Aarti was 5-years-old. Sehwag proposed Aarti after their 14-year long friendship. The two had an affair for almost 3 years before getting married on April 22, 2004.

Upul Tharanga and Nilanka Tharanga

Sri Lankan Cricketer Upul Tharanga tied the knot with Nilanka, who was earlier married to Sri Lankan cricketer Tilakratne Dilshan. It is rumoured that the closeness between Upul and Nilanka created a rift between Nilanka and Dilshan which later led to their divorce.

Saeed Anwar and Lubna

Former Pakistani cricketer Saeed Anwar married his cousin, Lubna, a doctor by profession, in March 1996. The couple had a daughter, Bismah who died after a prolonged illness in 2001.

Murli Vijay and Nikita

Indian cricketer Murli Vijay tied the knot with Nikita who was early married to Reserve wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik. In 2012, during IPL-5, when Dinesh Karthik came to know about his wife’s affair with Murali Vijay, he divorced with Nikita.

Shahid Afridi and Nadia Afridi

Pakistani all-rounder cricketer Shahid Afridi married his maternal cousin Nadia.  Shahid Afridi’s marriage wasn’t a love affair. The two got married after Shahid Afridi’s father arranged their marriage.