Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya made headlines once again, though this time not for his performance on the field. The all-rounder was spotted at Mumbai airport early Friday morning with model Mahieka Sharma, marking what appears to be their first public appearance together.
The duo kept things low-key as they arrived at the airport. Dressed in coordinated black outfits, Pandya stepped out of his car first and waited for Sharma. While she initially rushed to hold his hand, he gestured for her to walk ahead. The couple avoided posing for photographers and quickly made their way to the terminal.
The sighting has added fuel to weeks of online speculation about their relationship. Rumors first surfaced in September when eagle-eyed fans noticed Pandya appearing in the background of one of Sharma's Instagram posts. Social media sleuths also discovered that the two follow each other on the platform.
The 24-year-old model and actress has been making waves in the fashion industry. Sharma studied at Navy Children School in New Delhi before earning a degree in Economics and Finance from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University in Gujarat. She also reportedly studied Community Psychology at the University of Maryland in the United States.
Despite her academic credentials, Sharma chose to pursue a career in modeling and acting. She has walked the ramp for some of India's most celebrated designers, including Manish Malhotra, Anita Dongre, Tarun Tahiliani, and Sabyasachi. Her portfolio includes advertising campaigns for major brands like Tanishq, Vivo, and Uniqlo, along with appearances in music videos and short films.
Last year, Sharma received the "Model of the Year – New Age" award at the 2024 Indian Fashion Awards. With over 51,000 followers on Instagram, she regularly shares glimpses of her work and travels to destinations across Europe and Asia.
Pandya's personal life has been under scrutiny since his separation from actress Natasa Stankovic. The couple married in 2020 and renewed their vows in a grand ceremony in Udaipur in February 2023. However, they announced their divorce in July 2024 through a joint statement on Instagram.
In the statement, they described the decision as mutual and emphasized their commitment to co-parenting their son, Agastya. Before the rumors with Sharma, Pandya was briefly linked to model Jasmine Walia, though that relationship reportedly ended quietly.
Neither Pandya nor Sharma has officially confirmed or denied their relationship. However, their airport appearance has left fans convinced that romance may be in the air for the cricketer once again.
On the professional front, Pandya is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury and will miss India's upcoming limited-overs series in Australia.
