News Desk |
Pakistan’s former pacer Shoaib Akhter slammed social media reports of rumors alleging him being in love with Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre. He brushed off speculations and stated that he admires the actress for her battle against cancer but has hardly seen more than two movies starring the actress. Akhtar gave his stance in a video posted on social media.
Akhter, who runs his own YouTube channel, released a lengthy video refuting the news and called it “baseless”. The former cricketer clarified that he was not obsessed with Bendre, as reports went as far to claim that the cricketer even carried a photo of the actress in his wallet.
Reports further claimed that if Bendre refuses the pacer’s proposal for marriage he would kidnap and marry her by force. Sources said that Shoaib Akhter first saw Sonali Bendre in the movie ’English Babu Desi Mem’ and developed a crush on her. It also suggested that the legendary pacer’s room was filled with pictures of the actress.
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“First of all, I have never met Sonali Bendre in my entire life. I was never her fan. I did watch her movies once or twice but I was never her fan. I have seen her in movies and she is a very beautiful woman. I saw her struggle when she fell ill. She showed courage and came out of her struggle as a brave woman,” Shoaib Akhtar clarified on his YouTube channel.
“She fought back and that is when I became her fan. It felt really good to see a woman being so brave and courageous. She led the way for other women. I was never associated with her. Saying that I had her poster in my room was wrong. I only had one poster in my room and that was of Imran Khan, the only cricketer whom I idolized,” he added.