Former Pakistan skipper and star all-rounder Shoaib Malik, who has been consistently ignored by selectors in the recent past, has been seen playing a local T20 match here at Turf Cricket Academy in Pitampura, India. Shoaib Malik, who married Indian tennis queen Sania Mirza last year, has not been a regular part of the national cricket team since then. Shoaib Malik had represented Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League and he had a great time with Delhi Cricket Association during his stay in Delhi at 2008.
Malik played a pivotal role in Turf Academy’s victory in the match by smashing and unbeaten 123 off just 57 balls, including 10 sixes and six boundaries. “I haven’t held the bat for almost 25 days now, have been busy with some other commitments so it felt good to score some runs. It’s a nice experience, especially with the kind of competitiveness you have in club cricket here,” Malik said. “Match practice is the best and back home in Pakistan, it’s difficult to gather net bowlers for practice, even at the academy. Good bowlers are usually busy playing matches and it had been quite some time I spent in Delhi, and whenever friends call me, I come and play,” he added.
Shoaib Malik was in New Delhi with his wife Sania Mirza to attend a function while Malik opted to participate in the cricket match. Malik liked the cricket bat which he borrowed from his teammate for the match and the host gifted the bat to him for pleasant memories of the match.
