Hyderabad, April 7
After several twists and turns, the Shoaib-Ayesha saga ended today on a conciliatory note with the Pakistani cricketer divorcing the Hyderabadi girl, who, in turn, withdrew the criminal complaint against him.

The volte-face by Shoaib came after intervention by Muslim community elders, who brokered a compromise formula. The former Pakistani captain had earlier maintained that his telephonic ‘nikah’ with Ayesha Siddiqui was not valid and that he was a victim of impersonation.

The dramatic development, capping three days of intense back-channel mediation, paves the way for his fairytale wedding with tennis ace Sania Mirza scheduled to be held here on April 15.

Shoaib has been staying at Sania’s house ever since he landed in the city on Saturday last to clear the air surrounding his alleged first marriage.

While admitting to a telephonic wedding in June 2002, Shoaib has all along maintained that he was sent the photographs of another woman and that he knew Ayesha as her elder sister.

After days of bitter war of words, the two sides struck a compromise under which Shoaib signed the divorce papers, while Ayesha withdrew the complaint, which had formed the basis for a police case of cheating, harassment and intimidation.

Several prominent Muslim leaders, including Andhra Pradesh Minister for Minority Welfare Mohammed Ahmedullah, helped in hammering out a compromise.

“My daughter is relieved and happy now. Justice has been done,” Ayesha’s mother Farisa Siddiqui said. “Talaq (divorce) was the only thing my daughter wanted. She got it after so long. This chapter is closed for us,” she said

Both sides denied money changing hands in the compromise deal. Shoaib will pay alimony of Rs 5,000 per month for three months as per the Islamic law.