Even four years after Indian tennis player Sania Mirza married Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, controversies related to their marriage continue to be raked up in the news. Today, when *the Telangana government has appointed Sania Mirza as their brand ambassador*, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised eyebrows by questioning its decision. Causing great furore, BJP leader K Laxman *referred to Sania as 'Pakistan's daughter-in-law'*, thereby questioning her credentials to be the brand ambassador for the new state.
Amidst all the controversies floating around now, the point of attention seems to be Sania's Pakistan connection, courtesy her husband Shoaib Malik. But who is Shoaib Malik?
Born in Sialkot, Pakistan, Shoaib started his cricket career under the able guidance of Imran Khan. Although he was a great batsman, he developed on his own bowling skills much later. But like every other household story, even Shoaib had to fight against all odds for his love for cricket. He finally made his ODI debut in 1999 against the West Indies, while his Test debut came two years later in 2001, against Bangladesh.
*Also Read: Strongly condemn attempts to brand me an outsider; will remain Indian forever: Sania Mirza*
After having impressed everyone on the team with his pitch perfect tactics on the field and his flawless performance, he succeeded Inzamam-ul-Haq as the next Pakistan captain in 2007, just after the World Cup. Despite having a brief captaincy tenure of about two years, he tried his best to make sure his team edged past the victory mark. Under his captaincy, Pakistan played three tests – losing two and drawing one. He also led his team to victory in 24 of the 36 ODI matches along with 12 of the 17 T20 matches played.
But a poor performance against Sri Lanka in 2009 forced him to step down. Following that, in 2010, Shoaib also faced a ban for a year after he was charged for infighting within the team.
His personal life, as controversial as his professional life, was scrutinised too. After announcing his marriage with Sania Mirza, renowned Indian tennis player, controversies cropped up when a woman named Ayesha Siddiqui released her marriage certificate, claiming that she was already married to Shoaib, who was getting married to Sania, without granting her a divorce. Although Malik initially denied all allegations, he confirmed his marriage with Ayesha and signed the divorce papers.
*Read Also: Hurts me how much time is wasted on this, will remain Indian forever: Sania Mirza*
Finally, what came as one of the biggest connections between two otherwise politically hostile nations India and Pakistan, Shoaib Malik declared his marriage with Sania Mirza. Causing a political stir across both the nations, the couple were the butt of all jokes. The couple who were dating for five months decided to tie the knot in April 2010 and what followed was history. Although there have been numerous speculations over the years about the couple heading for splitsville, the couple are happily together.
ReportIndiaDNA Web TeamDNA WebdeskMumbaiWeb ExclusivespecialambassadorBangladeshAyeshabanBowlingbrand ambassadorcaptainCricketdaughter-in-lawGovernmentInzamam-ul-HaqPakistanIndiaImran KhanMarriageSania MirzaShoaib MalikSri LankaTelenganaWest IndiesWorld CupBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)Thursday, 24 July 2014 - 2:55pmThursday, 24 July 2014 - 2:55pm
RNA Research & Archives
dnai.in/chZo Reported by DNA 15 hours ago.
Amidst all the controversies floating around now, the point of attention seems to be Sania's Pakistan connection, courtesy her husband Shoaib Malik. But who is Shoaib Malik?
Born in Sialkot, Pakistan, Shoaib started his cricket career under the able guidance of Imran Khan. Although he was a great batsman, he developed on his own bowling skills much later. But like every other household story, even Shoaib had to fight against all odds for his love for cricket. He finally made his ODI debut in 1999 against the West Indies, while his Test debut came two years later in 2001, against Bangladesh.
*Also Read: Strongly condemn attempts to brand me an outsider; will remain Indian forever: Sania Mirza*
After having impressed everyone on the team with his pitch perfect tactics on the field and his flawless performance, he succeeded Inzamam-ul-Haq as the next Pakistan captain in 2007, just after the World Cup. Despite having a brief captaincy tenure of about two years, he tried his best to make sure his team edged past the victory mark. Under his captaincy, Pakistan played three tests – losing two and drawing one. He also led his team to victory in 24 of the 36 ODI matches along with 12 of the 17 T20 matches played.
But a poor performance against Sri Lanka in 2009 forced him to step down. Following that, in 2010, Shoaib also faced a ban for a year after he was charged for infighting within the team.
His personal life, as controversial as his professional life, was scrutinised too. After announcing his marriage with Sania Mirza, renowned Indian tennis player, controversies cropped up when a woman named Ayesha Siddiqui released her marriage certificate, claiming that she was already married to Shoaib, who was getting married to Sania, without granting her a divorce. Although Malik initially denied all allegations, he confirmed his marriage with Ayesha and signed the divorce papers.
*Read Also: Hurts me how much time is wasted on this, will remain Indian forever: Sania Mirza*
Finally, what came as one of the biggest connections between two otherwise politically hostile nations India and Pakistan, Shoaib Malik declared his marriage with Sania Mirza. Causing a political stir across both the nations, the couple were the butt of all jokes. The couple who were dating for five months decided to tie the knot in April 2010 and what followed was history. Although there have been numerous speculations over the years about the couple heading for splitsville, the couple are happily together.
ReportIndiaDNA Web TeamDNA WebdeskMumbaiWeb ExclusivespecialambassadorBangladeshAyeshabanBowlingbrand ambassadorcaptainCricketdaughter-in-lawGovernmentInzamam-ul-HaqPakistanIndiaImran KhanMarriageSania MirzaShoaib MalikSri LankaTelenganaWest IndiesWorld CupBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)Thursday, 24 July 2014 - 2:55pmThursday, 24 July 2014 - 2:55pm
RNA Research & Archives
dnai.in/chZo Reported by DNA 15 hours ago.