By IANS,
Hyderabad : Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik, set to marry Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, Monday insisted he was innocent and would not leave India until he was cleared of charges of quietly marrying Hyderabad girl Ayesha Siddiqui.
“I am innocent, I haven’t done anything wrong,” a visibly tired Shoaib told an army of unruly journalists outside the Mirza residence here, hours after the police quizzed him on complaints from Siddiqui’s family.
Shoaib added that he was cooperating with the police and had no intention of leaving the country with a sullied image.
He said the Siddiqui family would have to prove in court that he had indeed married Ayesha — as they claim.
A more confident Sania added that their wedding would very much take place April 15.
“I have full faith in him (Shoaib), my family has full faith in him.”
She said she and Shoaib came from respectable families and it was painful to hear the charges being hurled against her would-be husband.
“We are representing our countries … (Such allegations are) not right. It is very painful for the families also.
“We want to clear his name. As an Indian it is my responsibility and it is our responsibility to let the police investigate.”
But Sania admitted she was upset over the developments.
“Of course I am upset but we are happy we are together… We want to remember this as a happy occasion. We don’t want to remember (it) for bad things or negative things.”