India opener Smriti Mandhana has said her planned wedding with music composer Palash Muchhal “is called off”. The ceremony had been set for 23 November but was postponed when Mandhana’s father was taken to hospital; now it will not go ahead at all.
“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 wrote on Instagram. “I am a very private person and I would like to keep it that way but 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. I request you to please respect the privacy of both families at this time and allow us the space to process and move on at our own pace.
“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 and that is where my focus will forever be.”
She signed off with a concise line: “It’s time to move forward.”
Mandhana, 29, remains central to India’s plans. At the recent Women’s ODI World Cup she piled up 434 runs at 54.25, second only to one-day captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Former India coach WV Raman summed up her importance last week, saying, “Smriti gives the batting line-up rhythm. When she goes big, everything else feels lighter.”
The left-hander’s next task is a home T20I series against Sri Lanka from 21-30 December, followed by captaincy duties with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2026 Women’s Premier League starting 9 January. RCB open against Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai; Mandhana, who hit a strike-rate of 133 in last year’s tournament, will again be asked to set the tempo in the powerplay—a six-over burst when only two fielders are allowed outside the circle.
Away from the numbers, several team-mates have spoken of her calm influence. All-rounder Deepti Sharma told local radio, “She can have the worst day yet still manage a joke in the dressing-room. That keeps us going.”
Not everyone will dwell on the off-field news for long. Domestic selector Neha Kadam feels the chapter is already closed: “She said what she had to say, we respect that, and we move on. The focus, rightly, is Sri Lanka and beyond.”
Mandhana herself has made it clear there is no appetite for further scrutiny. Cricket remains front and centre—and, as her hundreds and leadership suggest, that higher purpose she referenced still drives her daily routine, net session after net session.
