IPL 2026: 5 Cricket Stars Who Made News Because Of Their Girlfriends And Rumoured Partners

As IPL 2026 reaches its business end, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan and Nehal Wadhera have drawn attention for stories around girlfriends, reported partners and rumoured links.

The cricket is already serious, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals finishing as the top four, but BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia's warning over unauthorised people entering team hotels, buses and player rooms pushed this chatter into protocol territory.

5 IPL 2026 Players Whose Relationships Became Part of the News Cycle

1. Hardik Pandya and Mahieka Sharma

Hardik Pandya has been one of the most talked-about names in this off-field conversation. Mumbai Indians had a poor IPL 2026 campaign, and Pandya's captaincy came under scrutiny after the team's struggles. Around the same time, Mahieka Sharma was also seen with him in public moments, and reports described her as Pandya's girlfriend.

One incident that travelled widely involved Sharma protecting Pandya's son Agastya from photographers after an IPL match. She was reportedly concerned about the crowd and camera flashes around the child, which turned a private family-type moment into another public discussion. The cricket story was already hot. The personal angle simply added extra chilli to the plate.

2. Arshdeep Singh and Samreen Kaur

Arshdeep Singh entered this list after reports and fan discussions linked him with Samreen Kaur during IPL 2026. Economic Times reported that Singh was seen with his rumoured girlfriend, Samreen Kaur, in Dharamshala ahead of a Punjab Kings match, and the clip led to online discussion around player privacy and security.

This is where wording matters. Kaur should be called Singh's rumoured girlfriend, not his confirmed girlfriend. The relationship has mostly been discussed through public sightings and social media chatter. So the safe line is simple: Singh made off-field news after being spotted with Kaur, but there is no official confirmation from either side.

3. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Maddie Hamilton

Yashasvi Jaiswal has been linked with Maddie Hamilton, but this also belongs firmly in the rumour category. The Times of India reported that Hamilton has been described as Jaiswal's rumoured girlfriend after public appearances and IPL-related sightings, while also stating that neither Jaiswal nor Hamilton has officially confirmed the relationship.

However, neither Jaiswal nor Hamilton has publicly confirmed the relationship. That makes this a rumour-based entry, not a confirmed couple story. Jaiswal's cricket career is already under heavy attention, and one casual appearance can become a full online investigation. That is why this section should stay measured, not sensational.

4. Ishan Kishan and Aditi Hundia

Kishan's case is stronger than some others on this list because reports have cited his grandfather's comments confirming Aditi Hundia as his girlfriend. During IPL 2026, Hundia also made news after she reacted on social media to Sunrisers Hyderabad debutant Praful Hinge's performance.

Kishan has had a busy cricket storyline with Sunrisers Hyderabad, but Hundia's public support added a personal layer to his season. The important change here is to avoid overdoing the wedding angle unless the article is specifically about that. For this piece, the cleaner point is that Hundia's support and her reported relationship with Kishan kept them in the off-field conversation.

5. Nehal Wadhera and Kashmira Pardeshi

Nehal Wadhera and Kashmira Pardeshi need the most caution in this list. Filmibeat reported that Pardeshi became a viral IPL 2026 face after being spotted cheering for the Punjab Kings, and her appearance led to dating rumours involving Wadhera.
However, this should not be written as a confirmed relationship. Filmibeat's report framed the Wadhera-Pardeshi link as speculation, and YouTube news descriptions around the viral moment also stated that neither Pardeshi nor Wadhera had confirmed the dating rumours.
Pardeshi's public profile as an actress helped the story travel faster.

A regular fan in the stands may be forgotten after one over, but a known face cheering for the Punjab Kings quickly becomes internet material. Wadhera's name then got pulled into the conversation, even though the link remains unverified. That is why the word rumoured has to stay glued to this section.

Why BCCI's Reported Crackdown Became the Real Talking Point?

The larger issue is not whether IPL players have girlfriends or partners. They are adults, and their private lives should not be treated like public property. The real issue is access. The Times of India reported that BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia flagged unauthorised people moving with teams, entering team hotels, and visiting players' or officials' rooms, calling it against anti-corruption protocols.

NDTV also reported that BCCI planned an advisory after unauthorised persons were found travelling with teams and entering restricted areas, and that future violations could invite strict action. That is why the conversation became bigger than celebrity curiosity. Once restricted areas, anti-corruption rules and team movement are involved, the issue becomes administrative.

The cleanest way to frame it is this: BCCI did not publicly say "girlfriends are the problem" in Saikia's quoted warning. The board's concern was unauthorised access. If someone is watching from the stands, that is normal. If someone without clearance is in a team bus, hotel room or restricted area, then the matter changes completely.

For Pandya, Singh, Jaiswal, Kishan and Wadhera, IPL 2026 became a reminder that fame follows players even after the match ends. Which of these stories felt fair to discuss, and which one went too far? Drop your take below!