8 cricketers who confirmed their relationship with a Bollywood actress

The relation of cricket and Bollywood goes a very long way. Both the fields — cricket and Bollywood — are not only the sources of entertainment in India but a lifeline for its public.

The relation of cricket and Bollywood goes a very long way. Both the fields — cricket and Bollywood — are not only the sources of entertainment in India but a lifeline for its public. And when personalities come together from these two fields together, they grab all the attention of the media and masses. They become the talk of the town and remain in the eyes of the public for long. Abhishek Kumar looks at eight such cricketers around the world who had accepted their relationships with Bollywood actresses.

1. Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore: You can call Nawab of Pataudi or Tiger Pataudi, known for his stunning fielding despite of loss of vision in his right eye. He met the then heart-throb of the nation and his future life partner — Sharmila Tagore or Kashmir ki Kali at Delhi in 1965. Soon, both fell in love towards each other and got married. Both had three children, son Saif Ali Khan and daughters Soha and Saba Ali Khan.

 

2. Gary Sobers and Anju Mahendru: It was the 1966-67 tour of India for West Indies, when Sobers met Anju in a party. Both acknowledged each other’s dance moves as both Sobers and Anju were good in it. In a TV reality show hosted by Shekhar Suman on Sony, Anju said, “Sobers had tremendous sense of humour and he had everything that a little young girl would look up at.”

Reportedly, both fell in love and almost got married, but due because Sobers’ cricketing commitments in other parts of the world (County cricket in England), they have to part their ways. Anju revealed in the show that she was never in love with Sobers and said, “Unfortunately Sobers fell in love with me because I wasn’t in love with him.”

 

3. Viv Richards and Neena Gupta: This was probably the most controversial relationship as Richards was already married when he fell in love with award-winning actress Neena Gupta. Despite of not getting married, Richards and Neena have a daughter named Masaba, who lives with her mother and has got some fame as a fashion designer in India. 

 

4. Mohsin Khan and Reena Roy: Many cricketers from Pakistan have had love affairs with Indian actresses. The good-looking Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan not only had an affair but also married India’s leading actress of the early 1980s, Reena Roy. With Reena in being in Bollywood, Mohsin also tried his hands in acting. Further, the couple decided to separate and got divorced.

 

5. Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani: When the news of Azharuddin and Sangeeta’s affair came out, the Indian cricketer was already married to Naureen and had two sons. Later, Azharuddin divorced his first wife in 1996 and got married to Sangeeta, but the couple separated in 2010.

 

 

6. Zaheer Khan and Isha Sharwani: Both Zaheer and Isha were in a relationship for almost a decade, but later they broke up and reason is still unknown. It is said that they were on the verge of marrying but in July 2012 in an interview with Times of India, Isha confirmed the separation and said, “I am single today. Yes, we were together for many years. But it is all over between Zaheer and me now.”

 

7. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma: This is probably the most famous affair between a cricketer and a Bollywood actress. Anushka gets mocked most of the times when Kohli fails on the field, and their movement is closely followed by the entire country.

 

 

8. Harbhajan Singh and Geeta Basra: It’s been five years since the couple has been together. They tied the knot on October 29, 2015. Harbhajan is the most successful off-spinner of Indian cricket team and Geeta has had a decent career in Bollywood.

 

(Abhishek Kumar is a cricket devotee currently staffing with Criclife.com. He can be followed at abhicricket.kumar and abhishekkr2593)

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