For a while, talk had been circulating of a breakdown in Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik’s marriage.
It was confirmed last Saturday when the 41-year-old Pakistan cricket all-rounder announced his wedding to Pakistani actress Sana Javed, 30.
The Indian tennis star’s family later revealed that the couple separated a few months ago.
Pakistan’s Geo TV reported that Sania, 37, had been unhappy with her husband “meeting other women”, and had been ignoring the issue for a while.
“Sania took this step after she lost her patience with her spouse,” the channel added.
Shoaib’s extra-marital affairs appear to be the cause for the split.
And Pakistan’s Samaa TV said he and Sana had been in a relationship for the past three years after meeting on the set of a TV show.
“At that time, Sana was married to (Pakistani singer and songwriter) Umair Jaswal,” it reported.
“She met Shoaib at Jeeto Pakistan, and they began to meet regularly thereafter.
“Shoaib used to set conditions for appearing on the show – that he will come only if Sana was invited. No one noticed this because Sana was already married to Umair.”
The report also claimed that Sana only informed Umair about her decision to seek a divorce a few months ago, leaving the latter stunned.
A Pakistani daily said Shoaib’s family was upset with him for marrying a third time.
Reportedly, none of them attended his wedding with Sana.
Sania and her family issued a statement regarding the divorce.
“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,” the statement read.
Shoaib and Sania got married in April 2010 in the Indian player’s hometown of Hyderabad.
They mostly lived together in Dubai thereafter.
The couple have a five-year-old son Izaan, who is currently living with Sania.
Indo-Asian News Service
