IPL 2025: The DC players are sending their warm and playful congratulations to the new dad, KL Rahul

New Delhi: After a nail-biting one-wicket win over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their first match of IPL 2025, the Delhi Capitals showered their star player KL Rahul with heartfelt congratulations on the arrival of his new baby. In a fun video shared on DC’s social media, captioned “Our family extends, our family celebrates,” Rahul’s teammates joined in on the celebration with a playful ‘Mother’s Lap Baby Swing’ gesture. The video features the catchy tune “Meri duniya tu hi re” from the song Heyy Babyy, with skipper Axar Patel singing, “Aa le chak mai aa gaya.” Rahul expressed his gratitude in the comments, saying, “Lads, this means so much to us, thanks a million.” Rahul and his wife Athiya Shetty, who got married in January 2023 and announced their pregnancy in November 2024, welcomed a baby girl on Monday, which the wicketkeeper shared through a social media post. He missed the opening game for Delhi Capitals due to the birth of his child. Although he had joined the team ahead of their first match in Visakhapatnam, he received special permission from the Delhi Capitals management to sit out the game against his former team, LSG, at the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. The wicketkeeper was acquired for Rs 14 crore by Delhi Capitals during the mega auction after leaving Lucknow, and he’s eager to make his mark in the shortest format after successfully reclaiming his place in the ODI and Test squads for the national team. Rahul played a key role in India’s victorious 2025 Champions Trophy campaign. As a reliable wicketkeeper-batter, he shone behind the stumps and proved to be a clutch performer with the bat. In four innings, he finished unbeaten in three of them, playing a vital role during India’s chases in crucial knockout matches, scoring an impressive 42 not out and 34 not out against Australia and New Zealand in the semifinals and finals, respectively.

BY ADARSH MISHRA