Newly-wed Hiren had a choice to pick destination of his choice, he opted for Ind vs SA tie at MCG, his wife Pinal agreed
When Pinal Dharam Patel said "YES" to Hiren Dharam Patel, she also had something very simple to add. Choose the honeymoon destination if you like, but "I get whatever I want for the rest of my life".
Left with no choice, Hiren agreed. Given that the "it's cold in the rest of the world", he chose Australia. Actually, the Hong Kong-based diamond merchant who plays some serious cricket in the tiny suburb of Kowloon, was keen on watching India play South Africa at the MCG. The plan worked because his wife agreed.
"After we saw India beat Sri Lanka (in an ODI) in Ahmedabad last year, we decided to travel to Australia for the World Cup. We got married in Surat recently and here we are celebrating our honeymoon," Pinal gushes. "It's awesome. We think we are in India now. It's bleeding blue everywhere."
The mehndi on her hands fading, Pinal admitted, albeit shyly, that by agreeing to travel to Australia, she was trying to "impress" Hiren. "I am not a cricket person at all. But when I met him, I met cricket. Actually, I love being with him. So I do whatever he does," he says. Love is clearly in the air.
The newly-weds are off to Hayman Island, located off the coast on Queensland, on Monday. "It's a heart-shaped island with white sand beaches and sea planes. It's going to be amazing. So we are really looking forward to it. And we have already gone skydiving, cruising and stuff like that," she adds.
Hiren is happy talking cricket. "Actually, I love both India and South Africa. I am a huge follower of the game," he says. Just then, Pinal butts in, "The match is a match for him, but it's a picnic for me."
But that doesn't mean she didn't let Hiren watch Shikhar Dhawan and the others take the Proteas to task in peace. "I loved the atmosphere. I loved the way the crowd reacted every time a six was hit. In a stadium, the crowd is one; it's united. You can feel that oneness. When somebody is playing well, everyone cheers for him. Even though it's Melbourne, it feels like India," she says.
The couple, whose marriage was an arranged one, tied the knot in dhoom-dhaam fashion. "My dad and his dad are friends for more than 20 years now. And guess what, they have the same name!" Pinal says.
Isn't this what you call a made-for-each-other couple?
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}