Gurgaon: Just a week ahead of the cricket World Cup, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni yesterday became a father after his wife Sakshi gave birth to a baby girl at a private hospital.

MS Dhoni and wife Sakshi

The 33-year-old cricketer became a father for the first time after his daughter was born at Fortis Hospital in the evening.

The baby weighs 3.7 kgs, according to the doctors. Dhoni is currently busy preparing for India’s title defence at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Sakshi is generally seen travelling with her husband on tours, but she did not travel with Dhoni during the Australia tour.

Dhoni had married his childhood friend Sakshi Singh Rawat on July 4, 2010.