'Leave it alone': Shoaib Malik addresses divorce rumours

Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik broke his silence on the divorce rumours, a month after he and his wife, tennis star Sania Mirza reportedly parted ways.

The right-hand batter, while speaking during an interview with a publication about his divorce rumours, asked the people to "leave it alone".

Expressing displeasure over the constant media pressure on the speculations and gossip about his possible separation from his wife of 12 years, Shoaib said: "It is our matter. Neither I, nor my wife is answering this question. Leave it alone."

Rumours of Shoaib and Sania's divorce widely spread on social media after which the couple remained the talk of the town. On the tennis star's 36th birthday, her husband wished her but got no response in return.

Their fans closely followed Shoaib's tweet as they were curious to know whether there was something wrong between them.

Amid divorce rumours, the couple was spotted shooting for their upcoming celebrity show called the 'Mirza Malik Show'.

The couple will be hosting the show together for a Pakistani streaming platform. The show will be released this month.

'Will focus on spending time with family'

When questioned about stepping into showbiz, Shoaib said that he will always be open to any prospect saying, "I do not close any door for myself. If a good opportunity comes up, I will not refuse."

He added that he has already hosted a couple of shows.

However, the all-rounder added that he barely gets much time to dedicate to a showbiz career with his family. He said his son Izhaan Mirza Malik has also started school and that he will focus on spending maximum time with his family.

On a question about if he would like a biopic made on his career, and if yes, who would he like to play him on screen, the all-rounder said that he has numerous friends in the entertainment industry in both India and Pakistan, and he does not want to offend anyone by taking a name. 

"If I ever think of making a biopic, I will answer this question. Currently, there is no such plan," he concluded.

The Mirza Malik Show

The announcement of the show, just days after the speculations over the couple's separation had left netizens puzzled.

The poster showed Sania and Shoaib with her hand on his shoulder standing in front of a green wall. The show is set to broadcast this month.

"Was it a publicity stunt?" a social media user had commented.

"So divorce was for publicity purposes. Shame," another one wrote, Indian media reported.

Shoaib and Sania got married in 2010 and have been staying in Dubai ever since. They welcomed their son Izhaan in 2018.