Cricketer Rinku Singh gets engaged to Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj in Lucknow
Lucknow: Indian cricketer Rinku Singh got engaged to Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj in a private ceremony held in Lucknow on Sunday. The couple is set to tie the knot on 18 November later this year.
The engagement, attended by close friends and family, also saw the presence of several high-profile personalities, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, MP Dimple Yadav, veteran actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, and Congress leader as well as BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla.
Speaking to PTI, Shukla said, "May both of them enjoy a beautiful life. This is a wonderful match. Each excels in their own field, and together, they will make a strong and successful pair."
Priya Saroj’s father, Tufani Saroj — a three-time MP and current MLA from Kerakat — said the event was an “intimate affair.” He revealed that Rinku and Priya met through a mutual friend’s father, who is also a cricketer. The couple have known each other for over a year and decided to proceed with the marriage after receiving the blessings of both families.
Priya Saroj, 26, is among the youngest members of Parliament and represents the Machhlishahr constituency in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh. She entered politics in 2024 and defeated BJP’s BP Saroj by a margin of over 35,000 votes.
Rinku Singh, 27, is a key member of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and has represented India in 2 ODIs and 33 T20Is.
Notably, the couple had also recently attended the engagement ceremony of cricketer Kuldeep Yadav and his fiancée Vanshika in Lucknow.
Photos and videos from the engagement have been widely circulated on social media.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
New Zealand women's captain Sophie Devine to retire from ODIs after World Cup
Auckland, Jun 17 (PTI): New Zealand women's team captain and prolific all-rounder Sophie Devine will retire from the ODIs after the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka later this year.
The 35-year-old is widely regarded as one of the most prolific all-rounders in women's cricket, having amassed 3990 runs from 152 ODIs at an average of 31.66 with the help of eight centuries. She has also scored 3431 runs from 146 T20Is with one century.
She has also taken 107 and 119 wickets in the ODIs and T20Is respectively. She, however, has not played in any Test.
"It feels like the right time for me to start stepping away. I feel very fortunate to have NZC’s support in finding a solution that means I can still give to the WHITE FERNS," said Devine in a statement issued by New Zealand Cricket on Tuesday.
Devine's statement came ahead of the announcement of the 17 centrally contracted players by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Wednesday. She will remain available for T20I cricket on a "casual playing arrangement" but will not be centrally contracted.
"It's important that everyone knows I'm focused and dedicated to giving this group everything I can before I step away. I'm really excited by where this young group’s going and I'm looking forward to playing my part in the next six to nine months."
Her decision to retire after the ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2 came after Devine took a break from cricket to prioritise her mental health in January. She will lead the team in the ODI World Cup in September.
Devine was permanent captain of the White Ferns in 2020, and has since led the team to new heights, including a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and a maiden ICC Women's T20 World Cup victory last year.
NZC's head of women's high performance Liz Green said Devine had the organisation's full support.
"Sophie's given nearly 20 years of service to the White Ferns and NZC is fully supportive of her quest to find more balance at this stage in her career," Green said.
"We're pleased to be able to reach an agreement that means she can continue to be involved with the White Ferns on a case-by-case basis, whilst opening up the opportunity for another player to be contracted in full."
NZC Chief Executive Scott Weenink praised Devine’s contribution to the White Ferns.
"Sophie has been an extraordinary leader and ambassador for the WHITE FERNS. Supporting her move to a casual playing agreement will allow her to continue contributing to the WHITE FERNS environment," he said.
The White Ferns are scheduled to begin their World Cup campaign against seven-time champions Australia on October 1 in Indore.
