After Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik divorced, rumours spread on the Internet that the tennis star may marry cricketer Mohammed Shami, who is also separated from his wife Hasin Jahan. However, in a recent interview, Mirza’s father, Imran Mirza, has settled the rumours once and for all.
In an interview with NDTV, Imran said that her daughter hasn’t even met the cricketer and that the rumours are “rubbish”. He said, “This is all rubbish. She has not even met him.”
The rumours stemmed from a photoshopped picture shared on Facebook on June 12 this year. The photo, originally from Sania and Shoaib’s wedding in April 2010, depicts the tennis legend in red wedding attire with Shami’s face digitally placed over Shoaib’s face.
“Finding a love interest”: Sania Mirza on The Great Indian Kapil Show
Sania recently appeared on the popular chat show – The Great Indian Kapil Show. On the show, she expressed “finding a love interest”.
In the promo of the new episode, Kapil Sharma was joined by guests Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, and Sania Mirza. The comedian reminded Sania that Shah Rukh Khan had once said that he would play her love interest if a film on her was ever made. Sania then told Sharma, “Abhi mujhe pehle love interest dundna hai (I have to find a love interest first).”
She added, “If Shah Rukh Khan plays my love interest, I will take up the role (act in my own biopic). And if Akshay Kumar plays the role, I will definitely do it.”
Sania Mirza’s latest Instagram post amid wedding rumours
Sania embarked on a Hajj pilgrimage in June to “seek redemption and spiritual renewal”. She further hopes to return as a “better human being with a humble heart and stronger imaan”.
Sania, in her Instagram post, wrote, “Dear friends and loved ones, I have been blessed with the incredible opportunity to embark on the sacred journey of Hajj.”
“As I prepare for this transformative experience, I humbly ask for your forgiveness for any wrongdoings and shortcomings. My heart is filled with gratitude for this chance to seek redemption and spiritual renewal. I pray that Allah accepts my prayers and guides me on this blessed path. I am deeply fortunate and feel immensely grateful. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I embark on this journey of a lifetime. I hope to come back as a better human being with a humble heart and stronger imaan,” the 37-year-old tennis legend added.
Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik: Marriage and divorce
Shoaib and Sania got married in Hyderabad in April 2010, and they used to live in Dubai. In October 2018, the couple was blessed with a son, Ihzaan Mirza Malik, who lives with Sania.
After Shoaib Malik announced his marriage to Pakistani actress Sana Javed on 20 January 2024 on social media, Sania’s family issued a statement. It read, “Sania has always kept her personal life away from the public eye. However, today, the need has arisen for her to share that Shoaib and she have been divorced for a few months now. She wishes Shoaib well for his new journey ahead! At this sensitive period of her life, we would like to request all fans and well-wishers to refrain from indulging in any speculation and to respect her need for privacy.”
News agency PTI quoted a family source saying that Sania had unilaterally divorced her husband. “It was a ‘khula’”, PTI quoted a family source as saying. Khula refers to the right of a Muslim woman to divorce her husband unilaterally.