Team India’s veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami has suffered a major legal blow as the Calcutta High Court ordered him to pay ₹4 lakh every month in maintenance to his estranged wife Hasin Jahan and their minor daughter. The order was passed by Justice Ajay Mukherjee, marking a significant development in the long-running legal dispute between the two.
As per the court's directive, Shami must pay ₹1.5 lakh per month to Hasin Jahan for her personal expenses and ₹2.5 lakh for their daughter’s maintenance, bringing the total monthly amount to ₹4 lakh. The order was passed after Hasin Jahan challenged earlier rulings, arguing that her expenses were far higher and that Shami had the financial means to provide better support.
Back in 2018, Hasin had initially sought ₹7 lakh per month in alimony and an additional ₹3 lakh for her daughter's educational expenses. However, her petition was rejected at the time, as the court noted that she had her own income from modeling and therefore was not eligible for such alimony. Despite that setback, Hasin continued her legal battle and appealed the decision.
Initially, the Alipore court had ordered Shami to pay ₹80,000 per month to his wife and child. Later, the district judge revised this to ₹50,000 for the wife and ₹80,000 for the daughter. Still dissatisfied, Hasin Jahan escalated the matter to the Calcutta High Court, asserting that her monthly expenditure exceeds ₹6.5 lakh, while her former husband earns approximately ₹7.5 crore annually.
In her plea, she argued that Shami, despite being financially capable, was not providing sufficient support for her and their child. The High Court, after reviewing both parties' claims and considering Shami’s reported income as an international cricketer, ruled in favour of Hasin Jahan.
This ruling adds another chapter to the turbulent off-field controversies surrounding Mohammed Shami, who has been battling both personal and injury setbacks in recent times. Currently out of action from the Indian team due to fitness concerns, Shami has yet to make a public statement regarding the court’s decision.
When will Shami return to play test cricket?
Mohammed Shami has not played in the longest format of the game since the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023. The 34-year-old had recovered successfully from the ankle surgery he had in February 2024 but started to experience pain in his right knee, for which he had been seeking treatment. The veteran was not considered for the last three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
The Bengal pacer was dropped from the ongoing England tour following fitness concerns. Chief selector Ajit, following the selection of India's test team forthe England tour, said, “Mohammed Shami is not fit and he can’t manage his workload in Test cricket at the moment. Shami has been ruled out of the series. The medical team told us that his body is not capable of handling the pressure of red-ball cricket. There is no point of taking a bowler whose fitness is not upto the mark,”
