Wedding bells for Indian and Pakistani sports stars

The high-profile wedding of South Asia’s first sporting couple was a private affair. It was attended by only relatives and close friends, said Rucha Nayak, a spokesperson for the 23-year old Sania Mirza.

"The nikah (wedding) has now been performed. Please pray for the couple," Nayak told reporters in Hyderabad.

There was no immediate explanation given on why the wedding ceremony had been brought forward by three days. Originally, it had been scheduled for April 15.

Controversy over first marriage

The wedding ceremony took place after days of drama revolving around the 28-year-old groom's first marriage.

Soon after the sporting couple first announced the plans of their wedding last month, another woman from Hyderabad, Ayesha Siddiqui, claimed that the cricketer had met her on the Internet and married her over the telephone under Islamic law in 2002.

Siddiqui also charged Malik of infidelity, harassment and criminal intimidation. Last week, Siddiqui withdrew the charges after Malik formally divorced her.

Malik had initially admitted to the telephonic relation with Siddiqui, but had claimed that the photographs Siddiqui provided to him on the net had been someone else's, adding that the wedding with her was illegal.

Marriage sparks cross-border interest

The cross-border alliance between national sports stars Mirza and Malik has generated huge interest among the people of both India and Pakistan, long time rivals. The news about the wedding and the controversy had people in both countries glued to their televisions.

After celebrations in Mirza’s home town Hyderabad this week, a reception is planned in the Pakistani city of Lahore later.

The couple will be based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates but they will continue to represent their countries in their respective sports.

du/AFP/dpa/PTI

Editor: Anne Thomas