Shaheen Afridi shares heartfelt birthday message for son Aliyaar

Pakistan’s star left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi on Monday penned a heartfelt message on the first birthday of his son, Aliyaar Afridi, expressing love and gratitude on the special occasion.

Taking to his official Instagram account, Shaheen shared an emotional note along with pictures, cherishing the joy of fatherhood.

"Happy Birthday Aliyaar – one year already! The moment I carried you for the very first time," Shaheen wrote. 

"Watching you grow, smile, and take your tiny steps has been the most beautiful journey of our lives. Our greatest blessing and our purest joy. Mama & Baba love you more than words can ever say," he added.

Former Pakistan captain and legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi also joined in the celebrations, posting a loving message for his grandson on Instagram.

"Happy 1st birthday to my precious Aliyaar. In just one year, you’ve brought more love and light than I ever imagined. May Allah bless you with a life full of health, happiness, and purpose. You are so deeply loved," he expressed.

Meanwhile, Shaheen remains occupied with his national duties as Pakistan prepare for a busy international schedule. 

The men in green are set to feature in a tri-series with Afghanistan and UAE from August 29 to September 7, beginning with a clash against Afghanistan.

The tri-series will serve as vital preparation ahead of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to be played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from September 9 to 28. 

The tournament will kick off with a curtain-raiser between Afghanistan and Hong Kong on September 9.

Pakistan will start their Asia Cup campaign against Oman on September 12, followed by a much-anticipated clash against arch-rivals India on September 14, before facing hosts UAE on September 17 in their final group-stage fixture.

Originally, Pakistan was set to host Afghanistan for a bilateral T20I series in August, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed expanding it into a tri-series and moving it to the UAE to give teams better preparation for the Asia Cup.

Pakistan squad for Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025:

Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (C), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.