The celebrity couple -- Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik -- separated ending their 14-year-old marriage. Their split marks the end of a high-profile union that had generated huge interest among sports lovers from the two countries. The rumours about their divorce had been doing around since last year and the silence maintained by the two reputed athletes prompted people to speculate on social media about their married life. The rumours gained momentum when Malik recently unfollowed Mirza, 37, on Instagram, a move that further fuelled speculation about their marital discord.
Sania confirms divorce with Shoaib
Meanwhile, Sania confirmed her divorce from Shoaib on Sunday and wished the Pakistan cricketer well for his new journey. Sania's family on Sunday said that the Indian tennis icon and Malik have separated, a day after Pakistani cricketer announced his third marriage with actor Sana Javed.
The 41-year-old Malik on Saturday posted his wedding picture with Sana on social media platforms.
"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!," read the statement issued by Mirza's family.
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, the statement added.
They have a five-year-old son Izaan, who is currently living with Mirza. Sania's father Imran Mirza said "it was a 'Khula'", which refers to the right of a Muslim woman to unilaterally divorce her husband.
What is 'Khula'?
According to Islamic law, 'Talaq' and 'Khula' are two ways to get a divorce, which ultimately lead to the dissolution of marriage. However, their proceedings and initiation are different. 'Khula' refers to an Islamic practice that gives right to a Muslim woman to unilaterally separate from her husband. In this way of the separation, a Muslim woman initiates the divorce by seeking the court's approval. She seeks divorce from the court. She will have to provide the court a valid reason for separation. Like a normal divorce, the husband has to bear the responsibility of providing education and financial support for the children.
How is it different from a Talaq?
The basic difference is unlike 'Khula', in 'Talaq', a man initiates the divorce. Under Islamic law, a man can immediately end his marriage by verbally or in writing seeking it. After giving 'Talaq', the man is bound to repay the wife's dower (Mehr) and property belonging to her. A dower is an obligation imposed upon the husband as a mark of respect for the wife.
Celebrated as one of India's greatest tennis players, Sania announced her retirement from professional tennis last year after a illustrious career spanning two decades. In a career spanning 20 years, where she won 43 WTA doubles titles and one singles trophy, Sania was seen as a trailblazer for women in sport.
She won six Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles events.
Shoaib Malik ties knot with Pakistan actor Sana Javed
Pakistan's former captain announced on Saturday that he has married to the country's popular actor Sana Javed in Karachi. The cricketer released a photograph on a social media platform with his new wife, with the caption "And We created you in pairs".
Sana Javed who has starred in several hit drama serials and also acted in Pakistani films had married singer Umair Jaiswal in 2020 at a simple ceremony amid the coronavirus pandemic but, two months earlier, reports about their divorce emerged.
(With agencies inputs)
