Game, Set, Mismatch!

So this is how Sania Mirza aims to concentrate on her career.

A few months ago she called off her engagement to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza citing that she needs to focus more on her career. What this essentially meant was that prospective husband no. 1 wasn’t too keen on Sania living out of suitcases. Very well. Marriage at the age of 22 wouldn’t have been the ideal bet for a longer career in any case but who am I to comment on the matters of heart or in this case the lack of it.

Anyway just three months into her single status her family has announced her marriage to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. No one knew of this alliance in the making and rightfully so. While I think we shouldn’t be interested, the Mirzas and the Maliks might not want media glare. Whom are they kidding? The moment this news broke many TV news channels like Headlines Today who have nothing better to do but post a reporter to stand guard outside the “Mirza house” will latch on to the tale like ants to spilt honey.

I am not a big Sania Mirza fan but couldn’t help end up reading just about every major piece of news dedicated to this event. What I find funny about this whole thing is the crazy timing of the episode. Sania broke off her engagement three months ago and Malik has said that they have been in love for nearly six months!

Hmm…so in essence what prospective husband no. 2 Mr. Malik is suggesting is that Ms. Mirza was cheating on prospective husband no. 1 Mr. Mirza. She was still engaged to him when she supposedly started dating Malik and then decided to concentrate on her career by calling off her engagement to Mr. Mirza, who by the way wanted her to give up tennis but then love blossomed with Malik and now she has decided to concentrate on her career by doing what she though would be detrimental to her career.

Wow.

Why am I obsessed with Sania Mirza and her prospective grooms? Do I even care about the brightest spark in Indian sports hooking up with whatever-his-current-status-in-Pakistani-sporting-echelons Shoaib Malik?

Actually I don’t.

Many journalists and free thinkers thought of Sania Mirza to be the perfect role model for young women across the nation. I, of course, thought of her as confused teenager and a tennis player. Here’s an opportunity to put across my point and like everyone else why would I let go of a chance to gloat! Don’t you find the bevy of expected sound bytes coming out of Sania Mirza’s mouth a testimony of brain going on a holiday? She has (once again) claimed that every girl dreams about this (marriage) and that her marriage would be ‘inshaallah’ the greatest day of her. Well Ms. Mirza has already dreamt of the big day twice in six months. Marriages are fine and can be considered the happiest day but I would have been happier if she had continued top think that winning an Olympic medal would have been the greatest day of her life.

One doesn't really know what it makes people do things till the time you are in their shoes. But one can't really be anyone else no matter how hard you try. It would be easy for someone like me who is merely observing the circus from the fringes to think that women like Sania Mirza are probably doing the wrong thing but who knows the pressure on her. Who knows maybe her family is pushing her into this mess called marriage (sic) but then when some women are fighting the for the cause of Muslim women, the so called role (mis)models shouldn't underestimate their place. Actually Sania Mirza is taking her marriage too seriously or at least the journalists are; she is going crazy trying to clarify that her marriage isn’t a political statement but she would surely hope for Indo-Pak relations to get better. Too late Sania, try explaining this to Shahid Afridi and half of Sialkot!

I might have a problem with arranged marriages but that’s only when they don’t work. The concept has worked wonderfully for many people I know and power to them but there has to be a process about the thing. Malik on the other hand is just tweeting naughty nothings and is busy dodging allegations about his supposed engagement to some Hyderbadi lass and an actress called Sayali Bhagat. Malik apparently married Ayesha Siddiqui on the telephone. Yes. You read it right. One version of the story goes that the girl he met was actually Ayesha’s sister and then was married on the phone to Ayesha who, let’s just say wasn’t the girl he met!

Like I said earlier I’m not a big fan of Sania Mirza or Shoaib Malik and I’m definitely not a great believer in arranged matches both on and off the field. Sania Mirza, of course, believes too much in off field arrangements and Malik, well Pakistan Cricket Board definitely believes in his on field arrangements. Here’s wishing the happy couple perfect happiness!