07 April 2010 - 13H42  

'Divorce deal' frees cricketer, tennis star to wed
The wedding of Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, seen here in Hyderabad this week, is back on track after a deal was struck in which he "divorced" another girl.
The wedding of Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, seen here in Hyderabad this week, is back on track after a deal was struck in which he "divorced" another girl.

AFP - The celebrity wedding between Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was back on track Wednesday after a deal was struck in which he "divorced" another girl.

Preparations for the high-profile couple's upcoming nuptials had been marred by claims by Indian woman Ayesha Siddiqui that she and Malik were married in 2002 -- sparking a scandal that captivated millions across south Asia.

"Divorce papers have been signed," Farisa Siddiqui, Ayesha's mother, told a news conference in Hyderabad. "The settlement is done."

The deal apparently ends a complex and often contradictory tale during which Malik had consistently denied ever being married to Ayesha.

After Malik and Mirza announced they would get married on April 15, Ayesha made a range of accusations including that she and Malik had signed a "nikahnama" (wedding agreement).

She also lodged a complaint with police in Hyderabad, prompting officers to quiz Malik over the saga and confiscate his passport.

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