'I am a cricketer not politician' - Shoaib Malik opens up about his marriage with India Tennis star Sania Mirza

Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik got married to India Tennis star Sania Mirza on April 12 back in 2010. The couple has been living together since then and also have a one-year-old baby boy now. But their marriage turned out to be a controversy early on due to the strained relationship between the neighbouring countries. India and Pakistan have not even played a bilateral series against each other for the same reason since 2012.

But Malik, opening up about his decision to get hitched to Sania, has revealed that he wasn’t worried at all about the relations between the two countries. According to him, the love of the person he is getting married to is important for him and not her country.

“No, not at all (concerned). In a marriage, you don’t concern yourself with where your partner is from or what is going on between the countries or in politics. That is not our domain. If you love someone and get married to that person that should be all that matters, regardless of which country you come from,” he said while speaking to Pak Passion.

I have many Indian friends, says Shoaib Malik

Whenever India play Pakistan in the ICC events or in the Asia Cup, their is fierce rivalry on the field. But the players, after the match, are seen having a friendly chat and it has been proved before that there are no bitter feeling for each other among them. Shoaib Malik rather claims that he has a lot of friends in India and his relations with them aren’t affected all these years.

“On a wider point, I have many friends who are Indian, and I don’t find anything strained because of the relationship between the two countries. I am a cricketer, not a politician,” the 38-year-old added. Meanwhile, Malik is set to meet his immediate family soon even as Pakistan team is scheduled to leave for the UK on later this week.

He has got a special permission to spend time with the family and then join the team on July 24. Pakistan will play three Tests and as many T20Is against England during the tour.