‘If not me, respect the girl’ tweets an angry Shoaib Akhtar denying marriage reports

Abbottabad (Pakistan): Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar outrightly denied that is getting married to a 17-year-old girl from Abbottabad.

In a series of tweets, the controversial cricketer said that all reports were only rumours.

Earlier, the Express Tribune newspaper had quoted members of his family, as saying that Akhtar is due to visit his hometown of Rawalpindi on June 12, and added that wedding dates have been finalised for the third week of June.

According to the paper, the Mehndi function is scheduled for June 19, the Rukhsati for June 20 at Haripur's Bilawal Hall and the Valima for June 22 in Rawalpindi.

The paper further quoted sources, as saying that Akhtar's family met Mushtaq Khan, a businessman from Haripur while on Hajj in 2013. They asked Khan's wife for help in finding a suitable match for the 39-year-old retired cricketer.

Both families reportedly met several times upon their return to Pakistan before finalising a match between Akhtar and Rubab, aged 17. Rubab has little interest in cricket and has three older brothers and a younger sister.

This is what he tweeted:

“Wishes are always welcome BUT NOT for some crap rumour...My journalist friends, I expect sensible reporting and not rumour spreading.Thanks!”

“Have got many messages from my friends in the media across the world.Following is my statement on reports of my marriage”

“I would like to confirm that I'm not getting married to 17 year old girl,there is absolutely no truth in the story being reported”

“If not me, atleast respect the girl! Totally False”