Fans’ dragging Sania Mirza into controversy after Pakistan loss irks Shoaib Akhtar

Ever since Pakistan lost their high-voltage clash against arch-rivals India at Old Trafford on Sunday, strong reactions have not stopped pouring in. One of the members of Pakistan playing XI, Shoaib Malik, has been particularly targeted for his golden duck. The 37-year-old batting all-rounder scored two consecutive ducks against Australia and India and his dismissals at a crucial time hurt Pakistan badly. The chorus has now grown bigger that Malik might have already played his last match.

However, it is not just Malik who has found himself in the controversy but also his family. He is married to ace Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and she has also faced the flak after Pakistan’s defeat. Sania was seen with her husband and some other Pakistani cricketers at a sheesha place late in the night and some fan filmed it and posted on the social media saying the Pakistani players were busy partying late into the night even when they had a World Cup match against India the next day.

It was later clarified both by the Pakistan Cricket Board and Malik that the video was from June 13 and not June 15 (the match was on June 16) but the fans were little convinced. Sania later lashed back at the fans for taking a picture violating their privacy and had a spat with Pakistani actress Veena Malik who advised her against taking her infant son to a sheesha place and also consuming junk.

Sania was upset with the advice on parenting and hit back. Later, her husband broke his silence and appealed against dragging the family into the controversy.

If Malik hasn’t performed well, drop him, why drag Sania, Akhtar

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar stood by Sania saying it was not right to drag her into the controversy. Speaking on his YouTube channel, she called Sania a “badkismat khatoon” (unfortunate woman) who was made to face a bad experience just because Pakistan have lost a cricket match. “If Shoaib Malik hasn’t performed, drop him. But why bring Sania into this,” an upset Akhtar said.

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Pakistan lost to India by 89 runs in DLS Method are now in danger of crashing out of the World Cup early. Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side next take on South Africa at Lord’s on June 23.