Pakistani cricketer Shaheen Shah Afridi and his wife Ansha Afridi have welcomed the arrival of their first child, a baby boy named Ali Yar, on Saturday.

The happy news was shared by the Afridi family on social media, prompting an outpouring of congratulatory messages from fans, fellow cricketers, and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Earlier in July, reports had emerged that Shaheen Shah Afridi and his wife Ansha were expecting their first child. This had led Pakistan’s red ball coach, Jason Gillespie, to mention the possibility of Shaheen missing the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh due to the impending arrival of his child.

“Shaheen can miss Bangaladesh Test matches due to childbirth,” Gillespie was quoted saying. “We can give him [some] rest if he wants to stay with his wife till then,” he said.

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