Badminton ace Saina weds Kashyap

NEW DELHI: India’s former world number one Saina Nehwal on Friday announced her marriage to fellow badminton player Parupalli Kashyap, calling it the best match of her life.

Nehwal, 28, also shared a couple of pictures in which the duo are seen dressed in traditional Indian attires and wearing flower garlands.The post, which included a heart and a smiling face emoji, was hashtagged #justmarried.

Nehwal and Kashyap are planning a grand reception on December 21, local media reports said.The couple confirmed their relationship in October although rumours about their relationship had been swirling for some time.

Nehwal said she had started dating Kashyap, 32, in 2007 after they began going on tours together but delayed the marriage in order to focus on their careers.Nehwal, who won a bronze at the Asian Games in Jakarta, is currently 10th in the world badminton rankings.

Their wedding is the latest after a string of high-profile Indian sportspeople tied theknot.Grand Slam-winning Indian tennis star Sania Mirza married Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik in a dazzling ceremony in 2010 while wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik is married to squash sensation Dipika Pallikal.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma married national basketball player Pratima Singh in 2016, and last year Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli tied the knot with one of the top Bollywood stars Anushka Sharma.