An old interview of former Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has appeared online with host Kamiya Jani, where she discussed her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. The pair are now divorced and Malik has gone on to marry again.
The interview, which took place in October 2022, sheds light on Sania’s experiences visiting Pakistan and the cultural dynamics of marrying someone from across the border.
“We go there actually once a year because Shoaib’s family still lives there and obviously Izhan goes to meet them, and you know we do meet them every year, once a year, and they come here once a year,” Mirza said about visiting Pakistan.
Discussing the differences and similarities between India and it’s neighbour, Sania acknowledged both aspects. Drawing on her South Indian background, she admitted feeling a cultural difference but highlighted the resemblance between Lahore and Delhi, saying, “If I was from Delhi, I wouldn’t feel that much of a culture shock. Because Lahore is a lot similar to Delhi. The way they speak, the way they eat, the things they eat, you know, all that kind of… Culturally, they’re just Punjabis, right? So it’s a little more similar.”
Despite the similarities, she noted, “But they are different in some ways also. You can tell, I mean, at least I can tell when there is a Pakistani speaking or an Indian person speaking…to another person, they might not be able to tell but I can tell the differences.”
In a surprising development, Shoaib announced his third marriage to Pakistani actor Sana Javed, leading to the revelation of his split with Sania. The newlyweds shared joyous pictures from their wedding ceremony on social media.
Shortly after, Indian news outlet PTI confirmed that Sania and Shoaib had divorced. Sania’s father Imran Mirza disclosed to PTI that Sania took a khula from Shoaib, officially confirming the end of their relationship. Taking to Instagram, Imran addressed speculation about his daughter’s marriage, emphasizing the need for privacy and confirming their divorce.
