Are Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik Separated? Here's Relationship Timeline

Cricketer Shoaib Malik recently tied the knot with Pakistani actor Sana Javed. The marriage news comes after persistent rumours and speculations about Shoaib Malik's split with his wife, former Indian tennis player Sania Mirza.  

When Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik announced that they were together, the news became the running headlines for a very long period in both India and Pakistan. The two sporting greats of these two respective countries were getting married. There were celebrations, criticism, and controversies but Mirza and Malik came together for love and the two got hitched in 2010. Eventually, they expanded their family when they welcomed their son, Izhaan Mirza-Malik, in 2018.

The unexpected news of Shoaib Malik's marriage to Sana Javed caused a stir on social media, especially amidst prevailing rumours surrounding the separation of Pakistan cricketer and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. Mirza had previously fueled speculations of a potential divorce with a mysterious post on social media earlier in the month.

According to Press Trust of India, the divorce was initiated through a 'khula,' a term that denotes the right of a Muslim woman to unilaterally seek a divorce from her husband.

Sania Mirza Shoaib Malik Relationship

First Meet

Sania Mirza was 23 and Shoaib Malik was 28 when they met in Hobart, Australia in 2010 and their friendship grew to post their meeting.

In her autobiography Ace Against Odds Sania Mirza disclosed their first meeting mentioning that the two met at a time when they both were going through a tough phase professionally.

Qubool Hai moment 

Mirza and Shoaib exchanged vows within a courtship of five months. They two tied the knot on April 12, 2010, in a traditional wedding ceremony at The Taj Hoel in Hyderabad, India. They extended their wedding celebrations by hosting anything ceremony in Sialkot, Pakistan, according to Pakistani wedding customs, followed by a reception in Lahore.

Creating a common base in Dubai

The Sania Mirza Shoaib Malik relationship and marriage were marred by a series of controversies. People began questioning the two on extremely necessary topics like their support for their national teams during the tense cricket matches between the two countries, where they would establish their base and whatnot.

However, the couple surpassed all necessary noise and created a life of their own beyond borders. The two created their home in Dubai, which was a common meeting point for them and spent most of their time there except for the time they were back in their homes in their countries or on tours.

First Child

On April 23, 2018, Mirza and Malik announced that they were pregnant with their first child. On October 30, Mirza gave birth to a baby boy. Malik expressed his happiness, shared the news on social media, and wrote, "I am excited to announce that it's a baby boy, and my girl is doing great and staying strong as usual. Thank you for your wishes and Duas, we are humbled. #BabyMirzaMalik." They named their Izhaan Mirza-Malik.

The Pandemic 

In 2020, when the pandemic struck the world, the family got stranded in their respective nations because of the extended and endless lockdowns. In an interview from her Hyderabad home, Mirza shared her grief of being away from her spouse and revealed how it is difficult for her son to be away from his father for so long given the extending nature of the pandemic. "It has not been easy for me to stay away from Shoaib and, especially, for Izhaan to stay away from his father. I am looking forward to being back as a family again in one place,” she said.

Latest appearance together 

Mirza and Malik were last seen together on October 30 during the birthday celebration of their son Izhaan. Malik took to his social media account to share some photos from the celebratory party, in which the couple can be seen together posing with their son and family. "As you were born, we became more humble and life meant more special to us. While we may not be together and meet every day, your Baba is always thinking about you and your smile every second. May Allah give you everything you ask for, Izhaan. Baba & Mama love you," he wrote.

Shoaib Malik unfollowed Sania Mirza

In a recent development, Shoaib Malik unfollowed Sania Mirza on Instagram just days ago. Furthermore, he updated his Instagram bio, changing it from "Husband to a superwoman Sania Mirza" to "Father to One True Blessing."