Shoaib Malik, the ex-captain of Pakistan, is facing significant challenges as reports suggest that his contract with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) team Fortune Barishal has been terminated.
Although there is no official confirmation yet, the franchise did acknowledge on Thursday that Malik has departed to the UAE for personal reasons, leading to his absence for the remaining season. In response, the team has enlisted Malik’s former Pakistani teammate, Ahmed Shehzad, as his replacement in the squad.
Controversy arose when Shoaib Malik bowled three no-balls in a single over during a match against the Khulna Tigers. Reports from Bangladesh suggest that Malik’s contract has been terminated over suspicions of match-fixing related to that specific over.
Nevertheless, neither the team nor any member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially validated the information. Currently, it appears to be nothing more than a rumour. The reported termination of Shoaib Malik’s contract by Fortune Barishal has created a buzz on the internet, with users claiming that the former Pakistani cricketer has been suspected of ‘match-fixing’.
🚨 BREAKING: Fortune Barisal has terminated the contract of Shoaib Malik on the suspicion of "fixing". During a recent match, Malik, who is a spinner, bowled three no balls in one over. Mizanur Rahman, the team owner of Fortune Barishal, has confirmed the news. #BPL2024 pic.twitter.com/wOh6yE6hoT
— Syed Sami (@MrSyedSami) January 26, 2024
Recently, Shoaib Malik has been making headlines for his third marriage following his divorce from Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.
Last week, Malik publicly announced his marriage to Pakistani actress Sana Javed by sharing their wedding photograph on the social media platform X, accompanied by the caption “And We created you in pairs.”
Speculation about issues between the 41-year-old Shoaib and Sania had been circulating since 2022, leading to a reported split. Over the past couple of years, they have seldom been seen together. Just a few days ago, Malik unfollowed the Indian star on Instagram.
Their five-year-old son, Izaan, resides with Sania. Sania’s father, Imran Mirza, informed PTI that his daughter initiated the divorce proceedings, describing it as a ‘khula,’ a term referring to the right of a Muslim woman to unilaterally divorce her husband.
Shoaib and Sania tied the knot in April 2010 in the Indian player’s hometown of Hyderabad, and they used to reside in Dubai.
