Shikhar Dhawan, the former India opener, just got engaged to his girlfriend Sophie Shine. He shared the news on Instagram on Monday, January 12.
Shikhar Dhawan announces engagement with Sophie Shine
Shikhar and Sophie have been together for a while now. They made their relationship official last year on May 1.
Sophie posted a photo of the two of them that instantly grabbed attention and went viral. She simply captioned it “My love” with a heart emoji.
That was the first time either of them went public about being together, finally putting an end to all the rumours about Dhawan’s personal life.
People had already spotted Dhawan and Sophie together earlier this year at a Champions Trophy match in Dubai. They also showed up together at a media conclave, where Dhawan dropped a hint that he’d found love again.
Who is Sophie Shine?
Sophie Shine is Irish, born in 1990, and her life couldn’t be more different from Dhawan’s cricket journey. She did her schooling in Ireland, went to Castleroy College, then studied marketing and management at Limerick Institute of Technology.
Sophie kicked off her career as a product consultant at a multinational company. Later, she joined Northern Trust Corporation in Abu Dhabi, eventually becoming vice president there until March 2025.
After that, she switched gears, moving into sports philanthropy. She became the Chief Operating Officer for Dhawan’s company, Da One Sports.
Now, as Dhawan’s partner, Sophie heads the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation. She’s deeply involved in running the charity, making sure their projects actually reach people and make a difference.
According to the Hindustan Times, Shikhar and Sophie plan to get married in February 2026.
Earlier this year, in February 2025, Dhawan talked about how tough things got after his divorce. He admitted he hadn’t seen or spoken to his son, Zoravar, in a long time.
When did Shikhar Dhawan first meet Sophie Shine?
Although the press had been abuzz with speculations about Sophie and Dhawan since the moment she was first spotted at Punjab Kings IPL matches in 2024, it is known that the two had initially met at a restaurant in Dubai.
The speculations about Dhawan dating his ex-wife, Ayesha Mukherji, divorced in 2023, only served to fuel the rumours when Sophie was seen with the former Team India in the stands to see them play at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Who is Shikhar Dhawan’s Ex-Wife Ayesha Mukherjee?
In October 2023, Dawhan officially divorced his estranged wife, Aesha Mukherjee, terminating their 11-year marriage. The India opener got married in 2011 and now has two daughters whom she got in a previous marriage.
Their marriage, however, failed them after a long time of struggles.
