Smriti Mandhana, Palaash Muchhal wedding Drama: Cricketer Skips KBC Special Featuring Women’s World Cup Winners; Read On

Smriti Mandhana skipped KBC's World Cup special starring India's women's champions, as her postponed wedding and the removal of her engagement video fuelled new internet conjecture.

Image Credit : Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana Skips KBC Special

The forthcoming special edition of Kaun Banega Crorepati, presented by Amitabh Bachchan, will commemorate the Indian women's cricket team's historic World Cup victory earlier this month. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is joined by Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, and head coach Amol Muzumdar in the episode. 

Image Credit : Smriti Mandhana

However, fans were quick to notice that India's best opener, Smriti Mandhana, was missing from the lineup. Combining two of India's most popular pastimes—cricket and quizzing—the special episode promises light-hearted banter, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and spirited interactions between the players and Amitabh Bachchan. The concert strives to celebrate the Women in Blue's courage, perseverance, and pride.

Image Credit : stockPhoto

India won the title after defeating South Africa, emulating the men's team's historic T20 World Cup triumph against the same opponent earlier this year. After South Africa elected to bowl, India batted first and scored 298 runs, falling just short of 300. The Proteas' chase began well, with Laura Wolvaardt smashing an incredible 101 off 98 balls before being bowled by Deepti Sharma. 

However, South Africa's resilience was short-lived, as they fell once more in the final, allowing India to triumph by 52 runs. Deepti was voted Tournament MVP, while Shafali Verma won Player of the Match.

Image Credit : social media

Smriti's Absence During Postponed Wedding Buzz While the squad celebrates its historic victory, Smriti Mandhana has been making headlines for personal reasons. Her wedding to musician Palaash Muchhal was "indefinitely postponed" on November 23 due to her father's urgent health concern, which needed hospitalisation.

Image Credit : Instagram/smriti_jemi_lover

In the days following the postponement, followers discovered that Smriti had secretly removed her engagement announcement video on Instagram. The film, which featured teammates Jemimah Rodrigues, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, and Arundhati Reddy, went viral for its humorous choreography and the stealthy reveal of her engagement ring at the end. 

Image Credit : instagram/palakmuchhal3

It is now being claimed that her colleagues have also erased the dancing video from their own Instagram accounts, fuelling curiosity.