Sania Mirza issues statement on Shoaib Malik's marriage with actor Sana Javed

A day after cricketer Shoaib Malik posted photos alongside Pakistani actor Sana Javed, Sania Mirza, who he married in 2010, issued a statement clarifying their relationship. In the brief message, former tennis player Mirza said they had "been divorced for a few months now."

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The statement said, "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," added the statement.

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On Saturday, Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik posted a photo with Javed on social media. He captioned it with: "And we created you in pairs." The actress also shared photos from their wedding ceremony on her Instagram account and later changed her bio from Sana Javed to Sana Shoaib Malik.

The two were rumoured to be dating for some time while speculation over his separation with Mirza grew. However, throughout this period, neither sportspersons addressed the rumours and were spotted for son Izhaan's fifth birthday in Dubai last year.

Malik penned a heartwarming note on social media, praising Sania and her achievements after she played her final Grand Slam match in the 2023 Australian Open. The duo also hosted a talk show in UAE last year.

While speculation persisted over the relationship despite Malik's post, an unnamed member of Sania's family told news agency PTI that that "it was a 'khula'", which refers to the right of a Muslim woman to divorce her husband unilaterally.