Indian women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana on Sunday put to rest weeks of speculation about her personal life, confirming that her wedding to music composer Palash Muchhal has been “called off”. The star opener appealed to fans and the media to respect the privacy of both families.
In her first public statement after a month of heightened rumours, Mandhana said she felt compelled to clarify the situation. “I need to clarify that the wedding is called off. I would like to close this matter here and implore all of you to do the same,” she wrote on social media.
Mandhana and Muchhal were slated to marry on November 23, but the ceremony was postponed after her father, Shriniwas, was hospitalised with a heart ailment.
“Over the past few weeks there has been plenty of speculation around my life and I feel it is important for me to speak out at this time,” she added, noting that while she is a “very private person”, setting the record straight had become necessary.
She urged fans and the public to “respect the privacy of both families” and give them the space needed “to process and move on”.
With India gearing up for a packed 2026 season, Mandhana emphasised that her focus remains on cricket. “I believe there is a higher purpose driving us all and for me that has always been representing my country at the highest level. I hope to continue to play and win trophies for India for as long as possible,” she said.
Her statement follows comments from singer Palak Muchhal, who acknowledged that both families had endured a difficult period and called for positivity amid the ongoing chatter.
Mandhana, 28, has been a mainstay in India’s batting order for nearly a decade, and reiterated that her professional commitments remain her priority. “Thank you for all your support. It’s time to move forward,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, in an Instagram story, Palash Muchhal said it had been “a very difficult time” to watch people react to “baseless rumours” and warned that his team would pursue strict legal action against those spreading fake or defamatory content.
“I have decided to move on in my life and step back from my personal relationship,” he wrote. “It’s been very difficult for me to see people react so easily on baseless rumours about something that has been most sacred to me. It’s the most difficult phase of my life and I will deal with it gracefully, holding on to my beliefs.”
Urging people to reflect before engaging in online speculation, Muchhal added, “I truly hope we, as a society, learn to pause before judging someone based on unverified gossip, whose sources are never identified. Our words can wound in ways we may never understand. While we think about these things, many people in the world are facing drastic consequences.”
He concluded by reiterating that his team would take action against misinformation: “My team will be taking strict legal action against those spreading false and defamatory content. Thank you to everyone who has stood by me with kindness in this tough time.”
This comes weeks after a highly publicised and unexpected postponement of her wedding to music composer-filmmaker Palash Muchhal. The wedding, initially scheduled for November 23 2025 in Sangli, Maharashtra, was postponed indefinitely due to a health scare involving Mandhana’s father, Shrinivas Mandhana.
On the planned wedding day, Shrinivas Mandhana suddenly fell ill and was rushed to the Sarvhit Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Sangli after experiencing heart attack–like symptoms, according to reports. Doctors diagnosed him with an angina-type cardiac episode requiring angiography and monitoring. Mandhana, especially close to her father, decided to put the wedding on hold until his recovery.
Following this, Palash Muchhal was admitted to a hospital in Sangli the next day. Hindustan Times reported that Palash’s mother told that he is very close to Mandhana’s father, and when he fell ill, Palash insisted that the wedding rituals not proceed until Shrinivas Mandhana recovered. He later shifted to Mumbai for observation and rest, with his mother Amita Muchhal and sister, singer Palak Muchhal, actively involved in his care. Reports indicated he was extremely emotional over the developments, emphasizing the priority of the family’s well-being over wedding plans.
Mandhana and Muchhal had reportedly been in a relationship since around 2019, keeping it low-profile until 2023–24, when they began appearing publicly together, according to reports . After India’s ODI World Cup win, Muchhal proposed at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, a moment shared by both on social media; Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sent a congratulatory note referencing their planned wedding.
In the days leading up to the planned wedding, families and close friends had travelled to Sangli for pre-wedding functions—including haldi, mehendi, sangeet, and a “Bride XI vs Groom XI” cricket match. Photos and videos from these events circulated widely, amplifying public interest.
Following the postponement, Mandhana deleted or hid pre-wedding Instagram posts, including haldi, mehendi, and engagement dance content, while older photos with Muchhal initially remained. Speculation grew further after Mandhana withdrew from the Women’s Big Bash League, a move that fuelled more conjecture. Close friend and teammate Jemimah Rodrigues also opted out of the tournament, choosing to remain by Mandhana’s side through the difficult period.
Earlier this week, Palash’s sister, Palak Muchhal, addressed the swirling speculation for the first time, speaking candidly about the emotional strain the episode had placed on both families. In a conversation with Filmfare, she said, “I think the families have been through a very, very tough time. We would like to believe in positivity at this time and spread positivity as much as we can. And stay strong, yeah.”
Her remarks marked the first on-record acknowledgement from the Muchhal family since the wedding was put on hold.
Until then, neither Smriti nor Palash had issued a formal statement. Both had, however, added an evil-eye emoji to their social media bios, a small but noticeable change that only fuelled public curiosity.
On Friday, Mandhana returned to Instagram with her first post since the postponement: a routine promotional video for a popular toothpaste brand, in which she reflected on India’s Women’s World Cup triumph in November. But the post drew attention for another reason, fans observed that she was not wearing her engagement ring. While some suggested the video may have been filmed before the engagement, others viewed the missing ring as a fresh sign of trouble.