Sania Mirza's father responds to speculations around marriage of his daughter with Mohammed Shami

Recent speculations arose regarding the purported marriage of Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza, and Indian cricketer, Mohammed Shami, following their respective separations. Amidst these swirling speculations, Sania embarked on a Hajj pilgrimage, expressing her aspirations for a profound spiritual journey on social media.

These rumors surfaced following Sania's separation from ex-Pakistani cricketer, Shoaib Malik, earlier this year and Shami's ongoing separation from his wife, Hasin Jahan. Despite the speculation, Sania's father, Imran Mirza, categorically dispelled these marriage rumors. The coach and mentor of India's most accomplished tennis player refuted the rumors and admitted to NDTV that Sania has never crossed paths with Shami.

"This is all rubbish. She hasn't even met him," Imran told NDTV.

A digitally altered photograph purportedly depicting the recent wedding of Sania and Shami gained widespread visibility on social media. This manipulated image falsely portrayed Shami and Sania as a married couple, using a doctored version of Sania's 2010 wedding picture with Malik. The fact-checking agencies conclusively refuted this claim. The viral photo had replaced Malik's face with Shami's in the original wedding image, leading to widespread misinformation being promulgated.

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Recently, Sania undertook the Hajj pilgrimage, symbolizing a notable personal milestone nearly five months following her widely reported separation from Malik. Transitioning into a commentator role, Sania was most recently observed in her capacity as a pundit during the 2024 French Open. In a poignant social media update, Sania conveyed her aspirations and supplications for a profound and transformative journey during Hajj.

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Meanwhile, Shami has been grappling with significant personal challenges himself. Amid a public legal dispute with his estranged wife, Hasin Jahan, involving allegations ranging from domestic abuse to match-fixing, Shami has maintained his professional excellence. His pivotal contributions were evident in India's campaign at the 2023 ODI World Cup before he suffered a heel injury and is currently undergoing recovery, which has led to his absence from the squad in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, taking place in the USA and the West Indies.