After years of rumoured trouble in paradise, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and former Indian tennis player Sania Mirza have officially parted ways. The divorce confirmation came from Mirza’s family after Malik announced his marriage to Pakistani actor Sana Javed in an Instagram post.

While internet users continue to grapple with the unexpected development, many are expressing support for Mirza and commending her for risking a cross-border match despite backlash. As fans piece together theories of when the relationship began to go downhill, old interviews of both Mirza and Malik are making rounds again on social media 

In one resurfaced clip from October, 2022, Mirza offered her candid remarks on marrying a Pakistani man. Speaking with host Kamiya Jani in the tennis player’s Dubai home, the conversation addressed the vitriol that Mirza faced right after her marriage to Malik.

“It was difficult in terms of the things being said and the media and all that stuff. But you know, when you’re in love, not a lot matters,” Mirza reflected. “That’s the honest truth. When you’re in love, you’re not thinking straight. You think ‘We’re in love and we wanna get married’ and honestly that’s how it was for us and our families. They were like the kids like each other.”

She furthered on, “But once it happened, we realised that it was not like that for everybody. And we found it very odd at that time that it was affecting so many people’s lives.” Mirza maintained that despite the negative reactions to her entry into marital life, she looks back on those early years with fondness.

“So it was a difficult time but it was also one of the happiest times in our lives…I remember the good of it more than the bad,” she shared. The sports star was also asked if her marriage ever affected her game adversely. 

In response, Mirza contended, “I’m very good at compartmentalizing and I think that’s one of the secrets of being a mother and a working professional, we all do that…when you are with your child, you’re just a mother. But then you put your heels on and you become an entrepreneur.”

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