Shoaib Malik facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shoaib Malik
شعیب ملک
Shoaib Malik in 2017
Born	(1982-02-01) 1 February 1982 (age 43) Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan
Spouse(s)	Ayesha Siddiqui ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2010)​ Sania Mirza ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2023)​ Sana Javed ​ (m. 2024)​
Family	Adeel Malik (brother) Mohammad Huraira (nephew)
Personal information Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) Batting Right-handed Bowling Right-arm off break Role All-rounder International information National side Pakistan (1999–2021) Test debut (cap 169) 29 August 2001 v Bangladesh Last Test 1 November 2015 v England ODI debut (cap 128) 14 October 1999 v West Indies Last ODI 16 June 2019 v India ODI shirt no. 18 (prev. 6, 51) T20I debut (cap 10) 28 August 2006 v England Last T20I 20 November 2021 v Bangladesh T20I shirt no. 18 (prev. 6, 51) Domestic team information Years Team 1997/98–1998/99 Gujranwala 1998/99–2013/14 PIA 2001/02–2015/16 Sialkot 2003–2004 Gloucestershire 2005–2015 Sialkot Stallions 2006/07–2018 Punjab 2013–2017 Barbados Tridents 2013/14–2014/15 Hobart Hurricanes 2015, 2017–2019 Comilla Victorians 2016–2017; 2023–2024 Karachi Kings 2016/17–2017/18 Sui Southern Gas 2018–2019 Multan Sultans 2018–2019, 2021 Guyana Amazon Warriors 2020–2022 Peshawar Zalmi 2021/22–2023 Central Punjab 2020–2023 Jaffna Kings Career statistics Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 35 287 124 126 Runs scored 1,898 7,534 2,435 6,559 Batting average 35.14 34.50 31.21 37.26 100s/50s 3/8 9/44 0/9 17/30 Top score 245 143 75 245 Balls bowled 2,712 7,928 570 15,149 Wickets 32 158 28 260 Bowling average 47.46 39.20 24.10 28.61 5 wickets in innings 0 0 0 9 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 1 Best bowling 4/33 4/19 2/7 7/81 Catches/stumpings 18/– 96/– 50/– 67/– Source: ESPNcricinfo, 6 January 2023

Shoaib Malik is a famous Pakistani cricketer. He was born on February 1, 1982. He played for the Pakistan national cricket team and is currently playing for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Shoaib Malik was the captain of the Pakistan national cricket team from 2007 to 2009. He started his international career in 1999. His first One-Day International (ODI) match was against the West Indies. He made his Test debut in 2001 against Bangladesh.

Early Life and Family

Shoaib Malik grew up in Sialkot, Pakistan. He comes from a middle-class family. His father, Malik Faqueer Hussain, was a shopkeeper who supported Shoaib's love for cricket.

Shoaib also has a brother, Adeel Malik, and a nephew, Mohammad Huraira, who are also cricketers.

Personal Life

Shoaib Malik has been married three times. His first marriage was to Ayesha Siddiqui in 2002. They divorced in 2010.

In 2010, he married Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. Their wedding was a big event that got a lot of attention. They had a son together, who was born in October 2018. Sania Mirza's family announced in January 2024 that she and Shoaib had divorced a few months earlier.

On January 19, 2024, Shoaib married Pakistani TV actress Sana Javed. Their wedding was a private ceremony held in Karachi.

Cricket Career Highlights

Shoaib Malik started playing tape ball cricket on the streets as a child. He began playing seriously in 1994. He was 12 years old when he joined a cricket coaching clinic in Sialkot. He first focused on batting and later developed his bowling skills.

Early Career and Challenges

In 2001, experts checked Shoaib Malik's bowling action. They said his main off-spin delivery was fine. However, they advised him to improve his other delivery. In the same year, he broke his right shoulder during a match.

In 2003, Malik played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in England. He did well enough to be invited back for the 2004 season. He showed he was a good all-rounder, meaning he was skilled at both batting and bowling.

In 2004, his bowling action was checked again by the International Cricket Council (ICC). After some time, his action was cleared. He was also fined and banned for one Test match by the Pakistan Cricket Board. This was because he admitted to not trying his best in a Twenty20 match. He said it was an immature way to show his frustration.

Batting and Bowling Style

During his Test career, Shoaib Malik batted in many different positions. He has a unique record of batting at every position except 11th in One Day Internationals. He often opened the batting for Pakistan. In 2006, he played a great innings against Sri Lanka. He batted all day and scored 148 runs without being out.

His bowling has also been very useful, especially in one-day cricket. His best bowling figures are four wickets for only 19 runs. He is known for being a flexible player. He can hit big shots and also score runs by placing the ball well.

Leading Pakistan

Shoaib Malik playing against New Zealand in 2009

After the 2007 World Cup, Shoaib Malik became the captain of the Pakistan team. He was chosen because he was a younger player and seen as a fresh start. He was only 25 years old, making him one of Pakistan's youngest captains.

Pakistan's coach, Bob Woolmer, and former captain Imran Khan supported Malik's captaincy. They believed he had a good understanding of the game. In his first series as captain, Pakistan won against Sri Lanka.

Malik was captain for two years. He led Pakistan in three Test matches, 36 ODIs, and 17 T20Is. He stepped down in January 2009.

In 2018 and 2019, Malik took charge of Pakistan's limited-overs team again. This happened when the regular captain, Sarfraz Ahmed, was not available.

After Captaincy

In 2010, Shoaib Malik was banned from the national team for a year. This was due to problems within the team. However, his ban was overturned a few months later.

After returning to international cricket in 2015, he became an important part of the Pakistan team. He helped them win the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. They defeated their rivals India in the final.

In 2019, he was part of Pakistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He did not perform well in the tournament and later retired from ODI cricket.

He was also part of Pakistan's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. In that tournament, he scored one of the fastest fifties.

Playing Style

Shoaib Malik is known for his practical batting style. He doesn't hit many fancy shots. Instead, he focuses on scoring runs steadily and carefully. He is good at rotating the strike, which means he keeps the scoreboard moving. He can also hit powerful shots when needed.

Franchise Cricket Career

Shoaib Malik has played for many different cricket teams around the world. These teams are part of various cricket leagues.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Shoaib Malik played for Delhi Daredevils in the first season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. He did not play in later IPL seasons.

Pakistan Super League (PSL)

Shoaib Malik was the first captain of the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He later joined Multan Sultans as their captain. He also played for Peshawar Zalmi. In 2023 and 2024, he played for Karachi Kings again. For the 2025 season, he will play for Quetta Gladiators.

Caribbean Premier League (CPL)

He played for Barbados Tridents from 2013 to 2017 in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He then joined Guyana Amazon Warriors and was their captain. He returned to Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2021.

Other Leagues

Shoaib Malik has also played in other leagues:

• Big Bash League in Australia for Hobart Hurricanes.
• T20 Blast in England for Warwickshire.
• Bangladesh Premier League for teams like Comilla Victorians and Rajshahi Royals.
• Lanka Premier League in Sri Lanka for Jaffna Kings.
• Global T20 Canada for Vancouver Knights.

Beyond Cricket

Shoaib Malik has also explored other interests outside of cricket.

Business Ventures

In 2021, he launched his own perfume brand called All Rounder.

Acting and Hosting

He made small appearances in a web series called Baarwan Khiladi and a movie called Chakkar in 2022. He plans to do more acting in the future.

In 2022, he became a host for a reality game show called The Ultimate Muqabla on ARY Digital. Later that year, he started his own show, The Mirza Malik Show, with his wife Sania Mirza. On this show, they interview different celebrities.

Television Appearances