Smriti Mandhana and Palash Muchhal (Image credit: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: Indian women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and music composer Palash Muchhal have brought an end to weeks of speculation about their personal life, confirming that their wedding has been “called off”. Both Mandhana and Muchhal took to Instagram to share the news. The couple had been scheduled to marry on November 23, but the wedding was postponed after Mandhana’s father, Shriniwas, was hospitalised due to a heart ailment.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I have decided to move on in my life and step back from my personal relationship. Its been very difficult for me to see people react so easily on baseless rumours about something which has been most sacred to me. Its the most difficult phase of my life and I will deal with it gracefully holding on to my beliefs,” Muchhal wrote.

“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. My team will be taking strict legal action against those spreading false and defamatory content,” he added.“Thank you to everyone who has stood by me with kindness in this tough time,” he said.Mandhana, one of India’s most prominent women cricketers, shared her first public statement on social media after rumours about her personal life intensified over the past month.“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.“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 in an Instagram post.Calling herself a “very private person,” Mandhana said she felt compelled to set the record straight.She asked fans and the public to “respect the privacy of both families” and allow them the “space to process and move on”.As she prepares for India’s upcoming international season, Mandhana emphasized 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.The announcement comes days after singer Palak Muchhal commented on the matter.“I think the families have been through a very tough time. Like you just said, I would just want to repeat that we would like to believe in positivity at this time. We would like to spread positivity as much as we can. We are also trying to stay strong,” she had said.Both statements come amid intensified social media discussions and unverified reports, prompting public figures to step in to curb speculation.Mandhana, 28, has been a key figure in Indian women’s cricket for nearly a decade, with her contributions crucial across formats.With India set for a busy 2026 calendar, the left-hander reiterated that her professional commitments remain her priority.“Thank you for all your support. It’s time to move forward,” her note concluded.