Rubbishes news reports of his third marriage.
By Dileep Thekkethil
Former India cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin has rubbished media reports about his third marriage with long-time friend Shannon Marie.
Azharuddin tweeted on Monday “News about my 3rd marriage is incorrect and false. Please check facts before publishing.”
The former cricketer’s swift comment came after reports said he had married Marie, an American citizen.
According to a report that appeared in India Times, on Saturday, while visiting his deceased driver Jaan Mohammad’s family in order to offer condolences, Azharuddin introduced Shannon as his wife. She was apparent veiled in a burqa.
The website went on to say that “Azhar and his wife were recently present during an IPTL match featuring the Indian Aces and Philippine Mavericks in New Delhi.”
Azhar first married Naureen whom he divorced after 9 years of marriage. He had two sons through that marriage, one of whom died in a fatal road accident in Hyderabad. He then married model-actor Sangeeta Bijlani in 1996 and the couple separated in 2010.
Azhar’s cricketing career shot to fame after his debut series in 1984-85 where he scored three consecutive centuries. He was one of the most successful Indian cricket captains until his name got embroiled in the infamous match-fixing in 2000.
Even though the court lifted the life ban on Azhar, it was already game over for him. But even before then he had entered politics in 2009 and was elected to Lok Sabha from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh. But in the last year’s election, he lost the polls from Rajasthan’s Tonk-Sawai Madhopur constituency.
A biopic Azhar, directed by Tony D’Souza, is getting ready in Bollywood in which Emraan Hashmi will play Azharuddin.