Shoaib Malik not worried about playing in Hyderabad

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, has said he has no problem in playing seven IPL games in Hyderabad despite his dispute with an Indian family based in that city, who he has threatened to sue for defamation for alleging that he married their daughter and is not granting her divorce as per Islamic laws.

An unfazed Malik said he had nothing to hide and was looking forward to play in the IPL. “If I had anything to hide or was afraid, I would not go to Hyderabad for the IPL game. If you know there are two legal notices with the Siddiqui family that I have sent them to retract their claims and apologise for trying to defame me, and they have kept quiet on the notices," Malik said. "I don't think there will be any problem in playing in Hyderabad. As it is, it is purely up to our Delhi captain Virender Sehwag if he even plays me because we already have eight overseas players in the side.”

MA Siddiqui, the father of the girl, confirmed Malik sent him a legal notice to withdraw his claims and apologise. "But I didn't respond to his notice nor will I do in future because he is trying to save his image. I am simply asking him (Malik) to legally divorce my daughter so that she can start a new life but if he persists to deny this relationship, we will soon move court for annulment of the marriage on behalf of my daughter."