Did Hardik Pandya secretly marry Mahieka Sharma after IPL 2026 setback? New photo shows model with sindoor on forehead

Hardik Pandya's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign may not have gone as planned, and reports of his transfer from Mumbai Indians (MI) to another team have been making the rounds. However, amid all the buzz surrounding his future, claims that the all-rounder and his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, may have secretly gotten married have grabbed fans' attention.


The rumours appear to have started with a photo shared on Instagram, showing Hardik Pandya posing with his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, and another woman. While the picture itself seemed harmless, eagle-eyed fans were quick to focus on one particular detail - what appeared to be sindoor on Mahieka's forehead.

In many Hindu communities, sindoor, a vermilion-red or orange-red powder applied along the hair parting, is traditionally associated with a married woman. That single detail was enough to spark speculation that the couple may have secretly tied the knot.

The image soon found its way to Reddit, where users began dissecting every aspect of the photo. Sharing the picture, one user wrote, "maybe i'm not aware but aren't married woman supposed to put sindoor on their forehead?? Recent pic of 2026. The account that posted it seems legit like not a fan page or anything _. rudra. _990".


As the photo gained traction, social media users were divided over what they were seeing. While some believed the image looked AI-generated, others questioned whether the mark on Mahieka's forehead was actually a tilak rather than sindoor.

Many also pointed out that if Hardik had indeed gotten married, it would have been major news.

Amid the debate, one user, however, claimed, "I think yes they got married & either their househelp or relative from Vadodara posted this pic. I live in Vadodara & recently saw Hardik in his sports car driving".

Despite the online theories, neither Hardik nor Mahieka has commented on the speculation.

Before his relationship with Mahieka Sharma, Hardik Pandya married Natasa Stankovic in May 2020. The couple welcomed their son, Agastya, on July 30, 2020, before announcing their separation in 2024.

Since then, Hardik has gone public with his relationship with Mahieka through several appearances and social media posts. The two were also spotted celebrating together after India's 2026 T20 World Cup triumph, with videos of them spending time together at the stadium quickly going viral.

The cricketer has also publicly expressed his affection for Mahieka. On February 19, he shared a birthday video for her on Instagram and wrote, "Happy birthday my princess... I love you."


While the viral photo has reignited speculation about the couple's relationship status, there has been no official confirmation that Hardik Pandya and Mahieka Sharma are married.