If the Almighty wills, he will play for India someday, says cricketer 

Sarfaraz Khan may have been overlooked by the selectors when forming cricket teams to represent India time and again, despite being in sublime touch, but he’s a winner on another front – the cricketer from Mumbai recently got married to Romana, a girl from Jammu & Kashmir. 

The 25-year-old middle order batsman posted a photo on Instagram with the caption “Alhamdulillah's married.” 

Fellow cricketers Surya Kumar Yadav, Chris Gayle, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel and Umran Malik are among those who wished Sarfaraz on the occasion.  

"We are very happy to have Mumbai's celebrity cricketer Sarfaraz as our son-in-law", Romana’s father, Zahoor Ahmed Bhat, who is in the business of growing fruits, said, speaking exclusively to DC from his native Shopian.   

"It was love at first sight. Romana and Sarfaraz were introduced by latter’s cousin during the last IPL season", he added.  

Sarfaraz, born and brought up in the suburbs of Mumbai, spent most of his early days at the Azad Maidan, where his father, Naushad Khan, coached him along with other young boys. He was tutored at home for four years, but subsequently, was deemed to be overage for a school team in 2011, after a bone test put his biological age at 15 while as per his birth date registered with the Mumbai Cricket Association, he was only 13. The matter was ultimately settled after an advanced bone test matched his registered birth date, but it took the lad two to three months to put the trauma behind him and get his focus back on cricket.  

“If the Almighty destines it, I will play for India one day,” Sarfaraz told a news portal. 

It is hoped Romana, who is pursuing M.Sc. in Radiology at the Jamia University, will bring Sarfaraz luck, and he will be able to fulfil his dream of representing the nation. (Bipin Dani)