Dubai: The stage is all set for famous Pakistani cricketer Hassan Ali’s wedding with Indian girl Samiya Arzoo on Tuesday in Dubai.
The fast bowler is set to wed Dubai-based Indian expatriate Samiya Arzoo at Dubai’s Atlantis The Palm hotel today. Ali is the fourth Pakistani cricketer to marry an Indian girl. Pakistan's all-rounder Shoaib Malik had married Indian tennis star Sania Mirza on April 12, 2010.
Famous Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan got married to renowned Indian actress Reena Roya in 1983 while stylish Pakistani batsman Zaheer Abbas who played for Pakistan cricket team in 1970s had married Indian girl Rita Luthra now known as Samina Abbas in 1988.
Wedding celebrations have been going on for the last few days. Ali’s close friends, including Pakistan cricket team’s spin bowler Shaddab Khan and Ali’s best friend, have already reached Dubai to participate in the wedding ceremony.
A pre-wedding event called ‘Mehndi’ – a gathering of singing and henna -- was held in Dubai on Monday.
Hassan Ali went around the city with his bride Samiya Arzoo for a photo shoot which was published on social media. The couple was photographed at different locations including Jumeirah Board Walk, Atlantis, Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab.
Ali, clad in a green kurta, had his bachelor party with close friends who were all clad in matching orange kurtas. They also went around the city and the desert for a photoshoot. Da Artist Photo, a high profile Pakistani wedding photo studio also shared photos of the couple. “We’re here [in Dubai] to cover Hasan Ali’s Nikkah (wedding),” the photographers wrote on Instagram. They said that the photos was from the couple’s “pre-wedding shoot” in Dubai on Monday.
Who will attend the wedding
The Pakistani pacer will not be a part of the pre-season camp in the first week on account of his wedding.
According to sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board, most of the players on Pakistan's cricket team will not be attending the wedding due to conflicting training schedules. However, Hassan Ali will host a walima ceremony (a traditional banquet hosted by the groom after the wedding) in Pakistan after a month or so after his honeymoon.
Who is Samiya Arzoo
While the bride Samiya Arzoo lives in Dubai, very little information is available about her and her family. It was reported earlier that she did not like cricket, which is bread and butter for Ali.
According to media reports, Samiya, who works for a private airline, hails from Haryana. She studied engineering in England and lives with her parents in Dubai, and has family members in New Delhi. Hassan first met Samiya through a close friend in Dubai, Geo News reported quoting family sources.
Another report says that the 25-year-old Hasan fell in love with Arzoo during the World Cup held in the UK.
“She knows nothing about cricket and does not like it,” Ali told a television channel early this month. “Her first favourite cricketer is Hassan Ali.”
Hassan, who has played nine Tests and 53 ODIs, played an instrumental role in Pakistan’s 2017 Champions Trophy triumph.
