Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik has been the subject of intense scrutiny and online trolling following his third marriage to Pakistani TV actress Sana Javed. The couple tied the knot in a private Nikah ceremony at Sana’s home in Karachi on January 19. This came after Malik’s previous marriage with Indian tennis star Sania Mirza officially ended in 2023.
Amidst the backlash, Shoaib Malik has taken a stand against the trolls. In a podcast episode with Shadow Productions, he indirectly addressed the criticism by emphasising the importance of following one’s heart without concern for public opinion.
“Woh karna chahiye jo aapka dil bole. Yeh nahin sochna chahiye ki log kya sochenge. I swear ye bilkul nahin sochna chahiye. Even if it takes for you to learn ki log kya sochenge, aap apni cheezein karo. Aapko 10 saal lag jaaye, 20 saal lag jaaye. 20 saal ke baad bhi samajh aaye na toh karo. Aap nahin karenge, toh bhi log sochenge.”
He stated, “I think you should do what your heart tells you. You should not think about what people will think, not at all, I swear. Even if it takes you years to understand what people will think, go ahead and do your things, whether it takes you 10 years or 20 years. Even if you understand after 20 years, go ahead and do it.”
Despite the heavy trolling, particularly after Sana Javed posted her first solo photo on social media linked to a clothing brand collaboration, the couple has not directly responded to the negativity.
The height of the controversy was further fueled when a podcast on Pakistan news channel Samaa TV alleged that Malik and Javed had been having an affair while still married to their respective partners, claiming that Malik would only appear on shows if Javed was also invited.
This came after his publicised divorce from Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and was followed by a controversial performance in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where he bowled three no-balls in a single over.
Malik’s actions on the field, occurring just days after his wedding, became a hot topic among fans and critics alike, leading to heavy trolling. Some netizens accused him of match-fixing, while others made light of the situation by drawing parallels between his number of marriages and the no-balls bowled.
Despite not having played for the Pakistan national team since November 2021, Malik’s career boasts an impressive record, including appearances in 35 Tests, 287 ODIs, and 124 T20Is since his debut in 1999. His desire to return to the national setup has been met with silence from selectors, even for major ICC events.
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