The upcoming special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, will celebrate the Indian Women's Cricket team's historic World Cup triumph earlier this month. The episode features skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, and head coach Amol Muzumdar. However, fans were quick to notice that India's star opener, Smriti Mandhana, is missing from the lineup.
Blending two of India's biggest obsessions -- cricket and quizzing -- the special episode promises light-hearted banter, behind-the-scenes stories, and lively exchanges between the players and Amitabh Bachchan. The show aims to honour the spirit, resilience and pride of the Women in Blue.
India lifted the trophy after defeating South Africa, mirroring the men's team's iconic T20 World Cup victory over the same opponent earlier this year. Batting first after South Africa chose to bowl, India put up 298 runs, narrowly missing the 300 mark. The Proteas' chase started strong, with Laura Wolvaardt scoring a spectacular 101 off 98 balls before being dismissed by Deepti Sharma. But the resistance was short-lived, and South Africa faltered once again in the final, giving India a decisive 52-run win. Deepti was named Player of the Tournament, while Shafali Verma earned Player of the Match.
While the team celebrates its historic win, Smriti Mandhana has been making headlines for more personal reasons. Her wedding to singer Palaash Muchhal was "indefinitely postponed" on November 23 after her father suffered a sudden health scare and required hospitalisation.
In the days following the postponement, fans noticed that Smriti had quietly deleted her engagement announcement video from Instagram. The viral reel, featuring teammates Jemimah Rodrigues, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy, had gone viral for its playful choreography and the subtle reveal of her engagement ring at the end. It is now being alleged that her teammates have also removed the dance reel from their own Instagram profiles, further intensifying speculation.