Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik welcome a baby boy!

Tennis star Sania Mirza has delivered another ace, albeit at a city hospital, on Tuesday. Just born Izhaan Mirza Malik weighed a very healthy 3.52 kg at birth. It could be a while before the world gets to see him though. New parents Sania and her cricketer husband Shoaib Malik don’t want to post the picture of their son for a month at least.

Much like his sporting parents, Izhaan is an early bird he was born at 6.20 am and is doing very well. New mom Sania was groggy for most part of her big day, given the C-section she has been through. She is progressing well and will be at the hospital for four or five more days.

First impressions, “the boy has a close resemblance to (Sania’s younger sister) Anam, who looked the same when she was born especially with the nose and the face cut,” Sania’s father Imran told this newspaper. Their names too match. “Izhaan and Anam both mean the same God’s gift,” Imran explained. 

Anam is excited as well. “Gosh! I’ve become an aunt already. Feel old now,” the 23-year-old laughed. Imran was doubly delighted. “I was the only one in the house who wanted a boy. Everyone else Sania, Shoaib, Nasima (Sania’s mother) and Anam were looking forward to a girl. I told Sania that I’ve had enough of girl problems in the house,” he burst out.

Shoaib Malik came down to the city from the United Arab Emirates where Pakistan are playing a cricket series with New Zealand. He will leave on Tuesday night for the first Twenty20 match to be played in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether Izhaan picks up a tennis racquet or a cricket bat when he grows up.