Once upon a time, the cross-border couple of Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik was a rage among the masses. The two made for an adorable pair. But in the piece of sad news floating in the rumour mills from last few days, the duo who was having trouble in their marital bliss of 12 years started contemplating separation a few months back.
And amidst all these speculations, an old video of Malik speaking about his Nikah with a Hyderabad girl, Ayesha Siddiqui is spreading like wildfire on the internet. In the clip that dates back to 2004, the cricketer is seen announcing his marriage to Ayesha. He is heard saying, “Mera Nikah ho Chuka hai. Woh Jeddah mein rehte hain aur India Hyderabad ke rehne waale hain. Unka naam Ayesha hai aur mein ab bahaut khush hun, Allah ka shukar hai.”
The viral video then takes the viewers to another proof of Shoaib’s first marriage as he is heard talking about his ‘lucky wife’ Ayesha with cricket commentator Arun Lal during the India Vs Pakistan match that took place in Hyderabad in 2005. When Lal congratulates Shoaib on his marriage, he replies, “Thank you very much.” Spectators in the stadium can also be heard shouting ‘Ayesha Ayesha’ from the stands.
For the unversed, when Shoaib and Sania’s decided to take the plunge in 2010, the cricketer was slammed with allegations from Ayesha, who had filed a police case against Shoaib for cheating on her. The two reportedly got married in 2002 and went separate ways in April 2010, a few days before Shoaib and Sania tied the knot.
Coming back to Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik’s separation, the reason for the split is still not clear but as per media portals, Shoaib cheated on Sania with Pakistani TV host-cum actress, Ayesha Omar. The ex-pair is currently co-parenting their son, Izhaan Mirza Malik.