Announcing her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on April 15 in Hyderabad, tennis star Sania Mirza on Tuesday said she would retain her Indian passport and play for India in the 2012 Olympics for the country.
Flying back to Hyderabad after a lightning visit to Delhi where she secured visa from Pakistan High Commission for going to Lahore for a reception, she declined to go into “uncomfortable” details about where she met Shoaib but said she knew him for last seven years.
She made it clear that they would settle down in Dubai which she called a “home away from home” and just three hours’ flight from Hyderabad.
During the brief interaction with the media in the company of her father at her residence, the 23-year-old Sania said she would be lying if she did not expect the development to be a shock but both of them and their families were happy about the marriage. She said she had received messages of best wishes from several people both in India and Pakistan.
“We are getting married. We are not also making any political statement or anything on (Indo-Pak) relations. It’s a simple matter. We are getting married. We are very, very happy and our families are very happy,” she said when a reporter asked whether she would like others to emulate her example.
Asked who she would support in case of an India-Pakistan cricket match, she said, “I will obviously support India but I will also support my husband.”
To a question, she said she would continue to hold Indian passport and was looking to play for India in the 2012 Olympics.
“I’m not going to answer nor will Shoaib be comfortable answering personal questions,” she said when asked when the two started seeing each other.
Sania and her father distributed sweets among the media persons during the interaction and when asked about opposition from VHP and other right-wing groups on her marrying a Pakistani, the tennis player said, “We are happy. You should not speak such things with mithai in your hands.”
Saying that the marriage would not in any way affect their career, Sania said, “I will continue to play tennis after wedding and he will also continue to play for his country. I am going to keep playing. Everything will be the same except that we are getting married.”
In Pakistan, Shoaib Malik interacted with the media where he said both the families were happy with the marriage.
“Inshallah, we are getting married soon and our families are very happy. We both are also happy,” he said.
Six members of Shoaib’s family have reportedly applied for visas to travel to India for the wedding in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, Adil Mirza, father of Sania’s ex-fiance Sohrab, wished good luck to the ace tennis player.
“I spoke to Imran (Sania’s father) and congratulated him. It is a happy thing. I wish best of luck to them,” he said.
He said Sania’s engagement to Shoaib will not affect the ties between the two families.
“No way. It is an old relationship,” he said.
Next: Sania gets Pak visa, says will keep playing for India
Hyderabad: Announcing her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on April 15 in Hyderabad, tennis star Sania Mirza today said she would retain her Indian passport and play for India in the 2012 Olympics for the country.
Flying back to Hyderabad after a lightning visit to Delhi where she secured visa from Pakistan High Commission for going to Lahore for a reception, she declined to go into “uncomfortable” details about where she met Shoaib but said she knew him for last seven years.
She made it clear that they would settle down in Dubai which she called a “home away from home” and just three hours’ flight from Hyderabad.
During the brief interaction with the media in the company of her father at her residence, the 23-year-old Sania said she would be lying if she did not expect the development to be a shock but both of them and their families were happy about the marriage. She said she had received messages of best wishes from several people both in India and Pakistan.
“We are getting married. We are not also making any political statement or anything on (Indo-Pak) relations. It’s a simple matter. We are getting married. We are very, very happy and our families are very happy,” she said when a reporter asked whether she would like others to emulate her example.
Asked who she would support in case of an India-Pakistan cricket match, she said, “I will obviously support India but I will also support my husband.”
To a question, she said she would continue to hold Indian passport and was looking to play for India in the 2012 Olympics.
“I’m not going to answer nor will Shoaib be comfortable answering personal questions,” she said when asked when the two started seeing each other.
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