Former India opener Virender Sehwag is known for his stunning pyrotechnics with the bat at the top of the order. Also, known as the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’, Sehwag is one of the most destructive batsmen to play the game, someone who batted at a strike rate of 82 in Test cricket, 104 in ODIs, and 147 in T20 cricket.
Off the field, Virender Sehwag is a witty, relaxed person who players and fans like to hand around with and listen to. There has been, however, a staining rumour going around in recent days about the former opener’s personal life: some people believe that Sehwag’s wife, Aarti Ahlawat, is his distant cousin.
We are here to clear it out for you: No, Virender Sehwag and Aarti Ahlawat are not cousins, or not any ‘distant cousins’.
The truth is Aarti and Sehwag had met at their relatives’ wedding when they were kids; Sehwag met Aarti when he was just 7 and she was 5 at the wedding of his cousin and Aarti’s aunt.
The pair had grown closer to each other with time, became close friends before deciding to tie the knot in 2004, five years after Sehwag’s international debut, with the blessings of their respective families. The couple has been happily married since and has two sons, Aryavir and Vedant.
With that doubt cleared aside, yes, there are cricketers who are married to their cousins, especially those from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Former Pakistani skipper Shahid Afridi is married to his maternal uncle’s daughter Nadia; Saeed Anwar’s tied the knot with his cousin sister Lubna; Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman’s is married to his maternal cousin Samia Parvin, and Pakistani captain Babar Azam is engaged to his cousin.
Speaking of Virender Sehwag, the 43-year-old has extensively been involved in commentary and on social media following his retirement. He is loved and cherished by the fans for his humorous trolling on social media. The Delhi-born finished his sparkling career with over 16,000 international runs, the high points of which were the 2007 T20 World Cup win and the 2011 World Cup triumph.
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