The Seductiveness of Indian Women: Cricketing Stars in Love

Sudatta Mukherjee, writing about “SEVEN  foreign cricketers who married Indian women” …http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/7-foreign-cricketers-who-married-indian-women-149507

Australian speedster Shaun Tait tied the knot to Indian model Mashoom Singha on June 12, after a four-year courtship. 

Glenn Turner and Dame Sukhinder Kaur Gill Turner: One of the most prolific opening batsmen from New Zealand, Glenn Turner, married Indian Sukhinder Kaur Gill on July 1973. Sukhinder and Turner have two children. More popularly known as Sukhi Turner in New Zealand, she was the Mayor of Dunedin from 1995 till her retirement in 2004. She is one of the most eminent politicians from the Indian community in New Zealand.

Mike Brearley and Mana Sarabhai: Mike Brearley, one of the most cerebral captains in the history of cricket and famous for leading England in 1981 Ashes victory, took Gujarati lessons for almost four years as his wife, Mana Sarabhai, is a Gujarati. Brearley took lessons from prominent poet Saroop Dhruv. Daughter of famous industrialist Gautam Sarabhai, Mana met Brearley during England’s tour of India 1976-77. “Gautambhai always insisted that being a jamai of Ahmedabad, Brearley should know its culture and language. That’s why I was hired to teach him Gujarati,” Saroop Dhruv was quoted as saying by the Times of India. Brearley and Mana are settled in London and have two children.

Zaheer Abbas and Rita Luthra: One of the finest batsmen from Pakistan and the only Asian to score 100 First-Class hundreds,Zaheer Abbas met Rita in 1980s. Rita used to study interior designing in United Kingdom and Zaheer used to play for English county Gloucestershire and. They got married in 1988. After marriage, Rita is now known as Samina Abbas. The couple didn’t face any opposition as Pakistan cricketer’s father was friends with Rita’s father, late KC Luthra, according to Pakistani newspaper,The Nation.  Prior to Partition, the Luthras used to stay in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Zaheer and Samina now live in Karachi, where the latter runs her interior designing business.

Also Read: Famous India-Pakistan love stories which tore barriers apart

Mohsin Khan and Reena Roy: Mohsin Khan fell in love with Indian actress Reena Roy and later married her. The good-looking Mohsin himself went on to become an actor in Bollywood. He appeared in 13 films. However, the marriage ended in a divorce. Mohsin has a daughter from his marriage with Reena Roy.

Muttiah Muralitharan and Madhimalar Ramamurthy: Sri Lankan cricketing legend Muttiah Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker in both Test and One-Day Internationals, married Chennai girl Madhimalar Ramamurthy on March 21, 2005. Madhimalar is the daughter of late Dr S. Ramamurthy and Dr Nithya Ramamurthy of Malar Hospitals. Murali and Madimalar have son, born in January 2006.

Pic from www.thehindu.com

Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza: Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was already in the news for her engagement to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza. However, in 2010, Sania broke her engagement and married Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. There was much drama ahead of the wedding. Reports emerged that Malik was already married to another Hyderabad girl, Ayesha Siddiqui. However, Malik denied the allegations but eventually confirmed the marriage when the girl’s family released marriage certificate to prove that she was married to the Pakistani cricketer. Malik later got a divorce. Malik and Sania are married for four years.

Shaun Tait and Mashoom Singha: After almost dating for four years, Australian pacer Shaun Tait married Indian ramp modelMashoom Singha on June 12, 2014. Tait had proposed to Mashoom a year back when the couple where vacationing in Paris. The wedding celebrations were spread across a week as Tait’s friends came over from Australia to Mumbai, where the wedding happened. Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan were among attendees. Mashoom and Tait will shuttle between Mumbai and Adelaide for now.

Special mention: Though the couple never got married but have been in the news for their famous relationship that sparked the headlines in 1980s. Indian actress Neena Gupta and West Indies legend Vivian Richards were in a relationship for quite some time in 1980s. They also have a child together, Masaba Gupta, who is now a well-known fashion designer. Neena and Sir Viv did not marry, but they have never felt the need to hide their relationship. Masaba, who even met Sir Viv’ son Mali, once famously said, “Not everyone gets to be Sir Viv’s daughter.”

 Pic from newseastwest.com

Also, Sir Gary Sobers had an affair with Anjoo Mahendroo, an Indian actress and former girlfriend of India’s first superstar Rajesh Khanna, but they never married with Anjoo rekindling her relationship with Khanna after deserting Sobers. Pic from www.indiandownunder.com.au

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Sudatta Mukherjee is a reporter with CricketCountry. Other than writing on cricket, she spends penning random thoughts on her blog and produces weekly posts on new food joints at Whopping Weekends. She played Table Tennis for University of Calcutta. When she is not writing, you will catch her at a movie theatre or watching some English serial on her laptop. Her Twitter id is @blackrosegal)