Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has announced engagement to girlfriend Sophie Shine on Instagram on Monday. The two have been dating for a while after confirming their relationship last year on May 1.
“From shared smiles to shared dreams. Grateful for the love, the blessings and every good wish for our engagement as we choose togetherness forever,” Shikhar wrote on Instagram.
Earlier, Sophie had shared a photo with Shikhar and captioned it, My love” along with a heart emoji, which was the first public acknowledgment of their relationship at the time.
Dhawan had earlier bid adieu to all forms of cricket in August 2024. The left-handed batter played a very important role in India’s winning triumph during the Champions Trophy 2013 in England where the side was led by MS Dhoni.
On a video posted on his social media account, Dhawan said, “I am standing at that juncture in my life where I can only see the past memories. My dream was always to play for India and it came true and for that I’m grateful to a lot of people. My family, my coaches Tarak Sinha and Madan Sharma, under whom I learnt to play cricket. Also my team, the people I played with for years. I got another family in them. I got fame and fortune and the love of everyone.
Sophie is an Irish product consultant currently working as Second Vice President – Product Consultant at Northern Trust Corporation, a US-based financial services firm. Reports suggest that she and Shikhar Dhawan met in the UAE, where Sophie is presently based.
She holds a qualification in Marketing and Management from the Limerick Institute of Technology and completed her earlier education at Castleroy College in Ireland.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, Shikhar and Sophie are set to tie the knot in February.
“It’s a new beginning and they are treating it with quiet happiness and a lot of gratitude,” a source shared. The source also noted that Shikhar has been “personally involved in the planning” to ensure the wedding reflects where he is in life now.
The two had met in Dubai years ago and their friendship gradually turned into a relationship. The two have been reportedly been living together for over a year and are said to be serious about building a life together.
