Sania and Shoaib marry each other in Dubai

Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik quietly tied the knot at a private ceremony in Dubai. Speculation has swirled about the two already being husband and wife from the time Malik landed in Hyderabad. The five-star Taj Krishna has been booked only for a reception and not the nikah. That had many wondering whether the wedding could well be over and Malik was here just for the reception.

Incidentally, Sania Mirza’s wedding card has only the reception date and has no mention of the nikah. However, local community members say that the Mirzas probably want to keep the nikah a private affair and thus do not wish to invite all those they have called for the reception.

This twist to the endless saga of alleged love and deceit comes at a time when there’s talk of the wedding being postponed. Local community members say that Malik’s stay in the Mirza house prior to the wedding and Sania sticking to the cricketer despite allegations against him do seem to suggest they are not just engaged but possibly a married couple.

‘‘It is impractical to assume that the Mirzas and the Maliks did not expect trouble after making this announcement of an Indo-Pak marriage that too with a Pakistani national who had a Hyderabad connection. It is very likely that they possibly got married before going public with their wedding announcement,’’ said a person close to the events, recalling how strongly the Siddiquis came out against Malik two years ago when he had denied his marriage with Ayesha.

The Siddiqui family also has been trying to find out if the nikah is over. Those known to the family say Ayesha herself has been asking this question from the time she received a call from a friend telling her about Malik’s nikah with Sania in Dubai.