Smriti Mandhana, the celebrated vice-captain of the Indian women's cricket team, was noticeably absent from a recent episode of Netflix's "The Great Indian Kapil Show," where the World Cup-winning team was being honored. This absence comes amidst a tumultuous period in Mandhana's personal life, following the cancellation of her wedding to singer and composer Palash Muchhal.
The wedding, initially scheduled for November 23, 2025, was postponed due to the hospitalization of Mandhana's father, who experienced a heart-related emergency. A day later, Muchhal was also hospitalized. While both were eventually discharged, the postponement was followed by swirling rumors and speculation surrounding the couple's relationship. These rumors intensified after Mandhana deleted all wedding-related posts from her social media accounts and withdrew from the Women's Big Bash League.
On December 7, 2025, Mandhana officially announced that the wedding was called off, requesting privacy for both families. Muchhal also issued a statement, echoing Mandhana's sentiments and announcing that his team would take legal action against defamatory content.
Amidst this personal upheaval, Mandhana's focus remains on celebrating the Indian team's historic victory in the 2025 ODI World Cup. India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final, securing their first-ever women's ODI World Cup title. Mandhana played a crucial role in the team's success, and she has openly expressed her joy and pride in the achievement.
To commemorate the momentous occasion, Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur got matching tattoos of the World Cup trophy, with the year "2025" inked below. Kaur's tattoo also includes the number "52," representing the margin of victory in the final. This gesture symbolizes the team's perseverance, belief, and unity throughout the campaign.
While Mandhana's absence from "The Great Indian Kapil Show" has been noted, it appears to be a deliberate decision to avoid public appearances in the wake of her cancelled wedding. According to The Indian Express, in the promo, Kapil Sharma asks skipper Harmanpreet Kaur about the bhangra moves she performed before lifting the trophy and reveals that it was Smriti Mandhana who urged her to dance. Jemimah recalls, “Harry didi hum logon ki baat nahi sunti hai. Par Smriti ne bola tha ki agar bhangra nahi kiya toh main baat nahi karungi life bhar” (Harry didi anyways dont listen to us. But Smriti had said that if I didn't do the Bhangra, she wouldn't talk to me for life). Despite the personal challenges she is facing, Mandhana's contribution to the World Cup victory remains a significant highlight of her career and a source of national pride.
