Dhaka: Shoaib Malik spoke to The Telegraph exclusively on wife Sania Mirza.

The two rarely speak about each other, yet Shoaib made an exception and happily took questions (at the Le Meridien), before the Pakistan team left for home.

Excerpts...

Q It couldn't have been easy for Sania to marry a Pakistani. Equally, it must have been very tough for you to marry an Indian...

A Look, when in love, you don't think of the nationality and the last thing on your mind is the territorial boundary of your country... Neither Sania nor I thought of one being an Indian and the other a Pakistani. I must add that my mother and Sania's parents were - and are - very happy with our marriage. If anything was at the back of our minds it was that we wouldn't be able to spend much time together.

Once in a while, there are whispers that all isn't well between the two of you. Does that hurt you?

Not at all. I'd be hurt if there actually were differences between Sania and me. What others may say isn't relevant to our marriage.

Sania and you got married (in April 2010) despite knowing that the two of you wouldn't be able to spend too much time together...

Of course, both Sania and I knew that. That reality wasn't hidden from either of us... What helped is that both of us are sportspersons and know what the life of a tennis player or a cricketer means. Bottom line is that Sania and I are very happy with our marriage. We support each other, which is what married couples should be doing.

If one counts month-wise, how many months are the two of you together?

Two months, perhaps. We have a house in Dubai and am building one in Lahore. The family still stays in Sialkot, though.

Has there been a period when the two of you have actually spent a length of time with each other?

Sania was injured when we got married, so there was an opportunity to be together for more than just days.

The next time would then be when Sania gets injured once more...

Oh, no... Don't want Sania to get injured. She should keep making headlines, reinforce her standing as the top doubles pair. I'm a proud husband.

Aren't there times when the two of you miss each other?

Well... There are ways to stay in touch, particularly when you have an iPhone... One can engage in Face Time... We've been married for almost six years and both of us are getting older! We're grown up.

How often does Sania visit Pakistan?

Once a year, to meet my family... Here, I must add that Sania's parents have played a huge role in her rise as a top-ranked player... One of them always travels with Sania, so even they lead a life without getting to spend too much time with each other.

In June 2013, when I interviewed Sania, I'd asked what about you had bowler her over... She replied 'He's good looking and looks do matter... He's simple...' What struck you the most about Sania?

( Laughs) A lot of things... It's too personal a question for me to answer.

Sania's been a source of strength during the time you weren't playing in any format...

Indeed, yes. There are ways of encouraging without getting into the specifics of any sport.

Who offers more encouragement to the other?

Good question... When it comes to fitness, Sania pushes me more. Talking of cricket and tennis, I'd say both of us offer equal encouragement to each other.

There's little that's common between the two disciplines...

If you're on the losing side, then it's the same both in cricket and tennis... There's much that's common when it comes to the preparations, though.

Did you travel more with Sania during the time you were out of the Pakistan team?

I did and I saw first-hand how the pros on the circuit handled their lives and careers. There was much to learn by watching the top tennis players... It's a challenging life, with nothing fixed if you happen to exit early in a tournament. You lose and you have to take the next flight out of that city... It's different in cricket where you know you'll be in a particular city for X number of days.

What stands out about Sania, the joint No.1-ranked doubles player?

Sania's consistency... She and Martina (Hingis, also No.1) have worked up a tremendous understanding, which is the key in a team sport or doubles/mixed doubles. Team sports demand unity and, obviously, Sania and Martina can read each other's mind. If they didn't have such a wonderful understanding, they wouldn't have won 41 matches on the trot. Good partners help each other out.

Have you cheered the pair 'live'?

No... That just hasn't worked out. If I'm not playing for Pakistan, then I've got commitments to honour in some T20 leagues.

I assume that, among women, Sania is your favourite tennis player. After her?

Ana Ivanovic.

Is Sania aware of that?

Of course. In fact, Sania's the one who introduced me to Ana once. She's probably at the top in terms of looks.

Did you tell Ana that - in Sania's presence?

No.

On the men's circuit?

I'm a fan of Rafael Nadal. I'm confident he'll be back at the top.

Many in India see Sania as a role model...

You'll be pleased to know that many in Pakistan also see Sania as a role model.

In one word, how would you describe Sania?

Amazing.

To end... You've yourself been a captain of Pakistan and aren't new to headlines... But, today, are you reconciled to Sania being the bigger star?

Definitely. I am happy that Sania is a much bigger star... Why should I even have a complex? As I've told you, I'm a proud husband.