Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Sania Mirza wishes Shoaib Malik ahead of 250th ODI

Cardiff: Star Indian tennis player Sania Mirza wished her husband and top order Pakistan batsman Shoiab Malik ahead of his 250th ODI game against Sri Lanka, on Monday.

Mirza had made it to the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles event in the recently concluded French Open, where she and her partner Ivan Dodig lost out to eventual champions Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and India’s Rohan Bopanna 6-3, 6-4.

Having a week off between her tours, Mirza decided to head to England, in order to spend some time with her husband, and cheer both his side and Pakistan on, at the ICC Champions Trophy.

When asked by a journalist from Pakistan about Malik’s achievement of playing 250 ODIs, Mirza went on to praise Malik’s commitment to cricket and his country.

“It shows his commitment to Pakistan, and to cricket. I’ve always known him to be someone full of passion for playing and representing his country, and it’s a very proud moment,” said Sania Mirza, speaking to Pakistani publication Dawn. “Very proud of him, for everything that he has achieved, and I wish him all the best.”

Sania also spoke of the difficulties a couple face, when both of them are professional athletes, with their varying schedules and tournaments.

“A lot goes into coordinating. The phones really help us, I think. We spend a lot of time apart, obviously, being two professional athletes. But I get lucky (sometimes), because they (Pakistan cricket team) were there in Australia as well, when I was playing (in the Australian Open),” she said. “Sometimes our schedules match, and I get a week off. So instead of going back to India or Dubai, I came here.”

She even went on to reveal that she had watched both India and Pakistan play – in different matches though.

“It’s a good change for me to watch cricket as well. I haven’t been able to watch that many matches, because I myself was playing in Paris. But I love watching cricket, and I saw the last match when Pakistan beat South Africa,” she said. “I’ve watched the India matches as well.”

Sania Mirza is all set to participate in the Aegon Classic WTA tournament, in Birmingham, a tournament used by many players as a preparation for the marquee grasscourt Grand Slam event Wimbledon.