I will keep playing for India

Formally announcing her marriage to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik on April 15 in Hyderabad,tennis player Sania Mirza said she would retain...

Formally announcing her marriage to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik on April 15 in Hyderabad,tennis player Sania Mirza said she would retain her Indian passport and play for the country in the 2012 Olympics. Flying back to Hyderabad after a quick visit to Delhi where she got her visa from the Pakistan High Commission,she was unwilling to speak at length about the decision that came as a surprise on Monday night,but said that she had known Malik for the last seven years. She added that the couple would settle down in Dubai after the wedding.

During the brief interaction with the media in the company of her father at her residence,the 23-year-old Sania said she would be lying if she did not expect the development to be a shock but both of them and their families were happy about the marriage. She said she had received messages of best wishes from several people both in India and Pakistan.

Simple matter

We are not trying to make any political statement or anything on (Indo-Pak) relations. Its a simple matter. We are getting married. We are very,very happy and our families are very happy, she said. Asked who she would support in case of an India-Pakistan cricket match,she said,I will obviously support India but I will also support my husband.

Sania was clear that the marriage would not in any way affect her career,I will continue to play tennis after the wedding and he will also continue to play for his country. Everything will be the same except that we are getting married.

In Pakistan,Shoaib Malik also interacted with the media. Inshallah,we are getting married soon and our families are very happy. We both are also happy, he said. Six members of Maliks family have reportedly applied for visas to travel to India for the wedding in Hyderabad.

Meanwhile,Adil Mirza,father of Sanias ex-fiance Sohrab,wished Sania good luck. I spoke to Imran (Sanias father) and congratulated him. It is a happy thing. I wish the best of luck to them, he said. He said Sanias engagement to Shoaib would not affect ties between the two families. No way. It is an old relationship, he said.