5 cricketers… who married in other religions, somewhere between Hindu-Muslim and somewhere between Christianity, included from World Cup hero to Chief Selector

New Delhi. When a player hits a four or takes a wicket on the cricket field, the entire country celebrates as one. There is no religion, no caste there. The same beauty of the game can be seen in the personal lives of the players as well. There have been many such legends in the history of Indian cricket who broke the conventions of the society and took their love to the next level and got married in another religion. Let us know about those 5 legendary cricketers who proved that the meaning of religion changes after meeting the heart.

Team India’s legendary fast bowler Zaheer Khan made India the world champion with his lethal bowling in the 2011 World Cup. Their love story is no less than a film script. Zaheer belongs to a Muslim family, while Sagarika Ghatge comes from a Hindu (Maratha) family. Sagarika played the role of Indian women’s hockey team captain Preeti Sabarwal in the film ‘Chak De India’, from where she got real recognition. Both of them first met at a common friend’s party. After this the series of meetings started and in the year 2017 both of them got married. Their marriage gave the message that where there is mutual understanding and respect, religion never comes in the way.

Shivam Dubey and Anjum Khan’s love became complete with two rituals
All-rounder Shivam Dube is famous for his long hits. But his marriage was also equally discussed. Shivam married Anjum Khan in the year 2021. This relationship was special because Shivam is Hindu and Anjum is Muslim. This couple set a unique example to make their marriage memorable. He performed the marriage rituals as per both Hindu and Muslim customs. Shivam and Anjum dated each other for about a year before marriage. Today the couple is living a happy life and are parents of a son and daughter.

Dinesh Karthik and Deepika Pallikal found support in love in adverse circumstances
Dinesh Karthik’s life has been full of ups and downs, but the arrival of squash player Deepika Pallikal brought stability in his life. Karthik is from a Hindu family, while Deepika belongs to Christianity. When Karthik was going through difficult times after divorce from his first wife, Deepika held his hand. Both of them got married in the year 2015. This marriage also took place with respect for both the religions. Today the couple are parents of twin sons and are considered one of the most ‘power couples’ in the sports world.

Ajit Agarkar and Fatima’s friendship which turned into kinship
The love story of current Chief Selector of Team India and former fast bowler Ajit Agarkar is very simple. Agarkar, who came from a Marathi Brahmin family, fell in love with his friend’s sister Fatima, who was from a Muslim family. In the year 2007, he made Fatima his partner. Agarkar always kept his personal life away from the limelight, but their marriage shows that true love can cross any wall. Agarkar and Fatima’s relationship has remained strong for many years.

When cricket and bollywood met
The second marriage of former captain Mohammad Azharuddin made a lot of headlines in the 90s. After divorcing his first wife Naureen, Azhar married famous actress Sangeeta Bijlani in 1996. Azhar was a Muslim and Sangeeta was a Hindu. This union of cricket and Bollywood had created a lot of discussion in the society. However, after living together for 14 years, both of them decided to separate in 2010. Even though this relationship did not last long, it was one of the biggest news of inter-religious marriage at that time.