Actor-producer Anushka Sharma and cricketer husband Virat Kohli on Monday announced the arrival of their first child, a baby girl.

Kohli, who shared the news on Twitter, said both the baby and Sharma were healthy.

"We are thrilled to share with you that we have been blessed with a baby girl this afternoon. We thank you all for your love, prayers and good wishes.

"Anushka and the baby are both healthy and we are feeling beyond blessed to start this new chapter of our lives. We hope that you can respect our privacy at this time. Love, Virat," Kohli said in a statement.

Former cricketer RP Singh, badminton ace Saina Nehwal, and actors Angad Bedi and Rakul Preet Singh were among the first to congratulate the couple on becoming parents.

RP Singh welcomed Kohli to the "Father's club", adding "the greatest feeling of being a dad is even sweeter" when the first baby is a daughter.

"Many congratulations to the parents @AnushkaSharma @imVkohli ghar aai lakshmi (goddess Lakshmi has arrived)" wrote Bedi.

Sharma, who is also the co-founder of the banner Clean Slate Filmz, had a great 2020 work-wise as two of her productions -- Netflix film "Bulbbul" and Amazon Prime Video web series "Paatal Lok" -- garnered favourable reviews from both audiences and critics.

As an actor, she last appeared in the 2018 film "Zero", alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif.

Regarded as one of the best contemporary batsmen in the world, India cricket captain Kohli was recently granted paternity leave by the BCCI after the first Test against Australia.

"He will return after the first Test against Australia in Adelaide," Board secretary Jay Shah had said in a press release in November.

Sharma and Kohli, both 32, recently celebrated their third wedding anniversary.

The couple first met on the sets of a commercial and dated for four years before getting married in a private ceremony in Italy on December 11, 2017.

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya retweeted Kohli's tweet and extended his best wishes to the couple.

"Congratulations brother and @AnushkaSharma Welcome to parenthood. A big hug to the little one, who'll give you happiness like you've never experienced before," Pandya wrote.

Former India cricketer Suresh Raina took to Twitter and wrote that daughters are the "biggest blessing to those who are the luckiest!"

"Congratulations @anushkasharma @imVkohli and welcome to the wonderful world of parenting," he wrote.

Actor Rahul Bose tweeted, "Many many congratulations. A happy day all around!"