Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik ties knot with actor Sana Javed

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik announced on Saturday that he has married a second time to the country's popular actor Sana Javed in Karachi, finally ending the speculations around his separation with Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

The cricketer released his wedding photograph on social media platform X with his new wife, with the words "And We created you in pairs".

There have been strong rumours since 2022 about differences between 41-year-old Shoaib and Sania leading to a split, and they have rarely been seen together in the last couple of years.

Just a few days back Malik unfollowed the Indian star on Instagram.

Their five-year-old son Izaan lives with Sania.

A family source told PTI that Sania had initiated the divorce proceedings.

"It was a 'khula'. I do not wish to comment beyond this," said the source. Khula refers to the right of a Muslim woman to unilaterally divorce her husband.

Shoaib and Sania had got married in the Indian player's hometown Hyderabad in April 2010 and they used to live in Dubai.

The social media posts by the 37-year-old Sania also indicated that she was under stress.

About a week ago she posted on Instagram, "When something disturbs the peace of your heart, let it go," along with a picture of herself, standing before a mirror with eyes closed.

Two days back also she posted a story on instagram, indicating the turmoil within.

"Marriage is hard, Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard, Choose your hard. being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.

"Communication is hard. No communicating is hard. Life will never be easy. I will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Pick wisely."

The 30-year-old Sana Javed who has starred in a number of hit drama serial and also acted in Pakistani films had married singer Umair Jaiswal in 2020 at a simple ceremony amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But, two months earlier, reports about their divorce emerged.

Sania, one of India's greatest tennis players had announced her retirement last year.

In a career spanning 20 years, where she won 43 WTA doubles titles and one singles trophy, Sania was seen as a trailblazer for women in sport.