Pandya, Model Sharma Confirm Relationship at Mumbai Airport

When Hardik Pandya, 31-year-old Indian national cricket team all-rounder and captain of the Gujarat Titans, was spotted with Mahieka Sharma at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on October 10, 2025, it ended weeks of speculation. The 6:30 AM IST sighting showed Pandya courteously letting the 24-year-old model lead through the terminal amid flashing cameras. This public debut follows his 2024 divorce from Serbian model Natasa Stankovic and comes exactly three days after Sharma's birthday.

The Divorce That Set the Stage

Pandya and Stankovic's separation still echoes through cricket circles. Remember that joint Instagram statement on June 15, 2024? The one where they said: 'After four years together, we've decided to mutually part ways... We'll co-parent Agastya and request privacy.' It landed like a gut punch precisely four years after their engagement and 22 months after their son's birth. The divorce settlement finalized August 3, 2024, split their assets like that ₹12.8 crore Mumbai penthouse and the ₹2.15 crore Mercedes-Maybach. What most fans don't know? They hadn't been publicly seen together since the 2024 IPL final in Chennai on May 26. That's 517 days of silence before Sharma walked into Pandya's life.

Here's the thing about the timing: Sharma's Instagram mutual follow with Pandya on September 28 sparked immediate chatter. Then came October 9 at 9:45 PM IST - Pandya's Instagram story dropped three photos confirming everything. The St. Regis Mumbai ballroom shots showed Sharma in that ₹48,500 handwoven khadi saree from the L'Oréal Paris Fashion Week India event. But it was the Juhu Beach photo with her Maltese dog Coco that really sealed it for fans. The divorce papers had barely dried when this new chapter began.

Who Is This Award-Winning Model?

Let's get real - Mahieka Sharma isn't just some random celebrity date. Born Mahieka Rajesh Sharma on October 7, 2001, in New Delhi, she's a powerhouse in her own right. She graduated from NIFT New Delhi with a 3.8/4.0 GPA in Fashion Design, then signed with IMG Models Mumbai on January 12, 2022. Her resume reads like a who's who of Indian fashion: walking runways for Rahul Mishra (2022 Woolmark Prize winner), Rucha Inamdar (Lakmé Fashion Week Emerging Designer), and Tarun Tahiliani (MBE recipient). The 2023 Femina Miss India South crown? Just the beginning.

Sharma's EcoWeave Studio launched on International Women's Day 2024 from her Okhla Industrial Estate studio. That sustainable fashion label employs 12 people and makes jute-blend ensembles like the one she wore at the St. Regis. Her commercial work speaks louder than words: 86 shoots since 2021, 17 national campaigns (including 5 for Forest Essentials), and that massive Amazon Great Indian Festival campaign reaching 220 million viewers. She's pulling in ₹75 lakh annually from endorsements - no small change.

Social Media Erupts: Trolls vs. Supporters

Oh, the internet didn't hold back. Instagram user @trending_era14 dropped a reel at 2:15 PM IST on October 11 captioned 'Did you notice something?' That thing? It racked up 1.2 million views in 24 hours. The comments section became a war zone. User @cricket_fan_1992 wrote: 'His ex wife is much and more beautiful... This new one is like Chapri nd you’re Chapri already.' Meanwhile, @pb_aur_apna_jaisa_hai asked the question on everyone's lips: 'Ab kya kahenge natasa ko gaalian dene wale???' (What will those who abused Natasa say now?)

Paparazzi agency Viral Bhayani (operating from Andheri West) caught the airport moment at 7:12 AM IST. Their photos got 487,000 likes within 12 hours - crazy for a Tuesday morning. But not all reactions were negative. Fashion insiders quietly noted Sharma's growing influence: 'Her EcoWeave work is changing sustainable fashion,' said one designer who requested anonymity. The contrast with Stankovic's 2019 viral wedding photos? Sharp as a cricket bat.

What Comes Next for Cricket's New Couple

Both live in Bandra West - Pandya at Pali Hill, Sharma at Shanti Sadan, just 1.7 kilometers apart. That proximity suggests this isn't just a flash in the pan. Sharma's EcoWeave Studio will likely see a massive bump in visibility after this exposure. But the real question? How does this affect Pandya's co-parenting with Stankovic? The custody arrangement gives her sole custody with Pandya getting visitation every second weekend.

Expect to see Sharma at more cricket events now. The next IPL season starts in March 2026 - she'll probably be in the stands at Narendra Modi Stadium. And with Sharma's upcoming Lakmé Fashion Week showcase in January 2026, Pandya might walk the front row. The divorce settlement specifically prohibited public comments about the other - so neither will address this directly. But the public has already weighed in, and the conversation shows no signs of slowing down.