Sania, who is also the wife of former Pakistani skipper Shoaib Malik, cited the example of Bollywood star Anushka Sharma being blamed whenever her husband, talismanic Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, fails to score in an innings.
“Anushka Sharma is blamed if Virat makes a zero, like what does that have anything to do with anything. It makes no sense. Many a time, including our cricket team and in many teams I have seen that wives or girlfriends are not allowed on tour because the boys will be distracted,” she said.
“What does that mean? What is it that the women are doing that is going to distract the men so much?” she asked.
Sania has herself been at the receiving end of accusations of this manner being Shoaib’s wife. After Pakistan's heavy defeat to India, Mirza was one of many who bore the ire of fans.
“See the thing is that comes from a deeper problem which says that a woman is a distraction she cannot be the strength. If we address the problem that a woman can be a strength or is a strength rather than a distraction or a weakness we might conquer these issues,” said the tennis star.