Indian Cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma, who separated in 2024, have officially finalized their divorce before 2025 IPL.
Yuzvendra Chahal and Verma, who tied the knot in December 2020, officially parted ways after nearly two years of separation. According to their divorce petition, the couple had been living separately since June 2022. The legal proceedings began on February 5, 2025, when they jointly filed for divorce in a Bandra family court, citing irreconcilable differences.
Financial Settlement and Legal Hurdles
One of the key aspects of the divorce proceedings was the financial settlement. As per the consent terms, Chahal was required to pay Rs 4.75 crore as alimony to Verma. Initially, the family court refused to waive the cooling-off period due to partial compliance, as Yuzvendra Chahal had only paid Rs 2.37 crore at that point. However, the High Court later ruled that the consent terms allowed for the remaining payment to be made after the divorce decree was issued, thereby clearing the way for the separation to be finalized.
The Court’s Final Decision
With all legal formalities met, the Bandra family court approved the couple’s joint petition, officially dissolving their marriage. Advocate Nitin Gupta, representing Yuzvendra Chahal, confirmed the decision, stating that both parties had complied with the necessary conditions.
The Mumbai family court on Thursday granted cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and choreographer Dhanashree Verma a decree of divorce, formally ending their three-year marriage. “The court has accepted the joint petition of both parties. The parties are no longer husband and wife,” confirmed Chahal’s lawyer, Nitin Kumar Gupta, speaking to reporters outside the courtroom.
On February 5, they filed a joint petition before the family court seeking divorce by mutual consent.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday requested the family court to decide the divorce plea by Thursday, considering the fact that Chahal would not be available later Yuzvendra Chahal is participating in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament.
The IPL T20 cricket tournament is scheduled to start from March 22. Yuzvendra Chahal is part of the Punjab Kings team.
The HC on Wednesday also waived the six-month cooling period stipulated for every couple after filing of the divorce plea under the Hindu Marriage Act.
The cricketer and Verma had filed a joint petition before the HC, seeking that the cooling-off period be waived in their case as they have applied for divorce by mutual consent.
The petition, filed through advocate Nitin Gupta, had also prayed for a direction to the family court to decide the divorce petition expeditiously.
The couple challenged the family court order of February 20 refusing to waive the cooling-off period.
Under the Hindu Marriage Act, a couple has to undergo six-month cooling-off period before divorce is granted. The objective is to provide time for exploring the possibility of reconciliation.
The family court had refused to waive the cooling-off period on the ground that there was only partial compliance with the consent terms which required Yuzvendra Chahal to pay Rs 4.75 crore to Dhanashree.
He had paid Rs 2.37 crore, the family court noted. It also cited a report of a marriage counsellor which said there was only partial compliance with the mediation efforts.
But the high court on Wednesday held that there was compliance with the consent terms, as they provided for the payment of the second installment of permanent alimony only after the decree of divorce was obtained.
About Yuzvendra Chahal:
Yuzvendra Chahal (born 23 July 1990) is an Indian international cricketer who plays for the India national cricket team in white ball cricket as a leg spin bowler. He also represents Haryana in domestic cricket, Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, and Northamptonshire in County Championship.
Chahal was the second player, and first Indian, to take a 6 wicket haul in T20I history.[2] He was the first concussion substitute to be named man of the match in an international cricket match.[3] He is a former chess player and represented India internationally. He was part of the Indian team which won the 2024 T20 World Cup; however, he did not feature in any of the matches during the tournament.
International career
He was named in the 14-man squad to tour Zimbabwe in 2016. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on 11 June 2016, Richmond Mutumbami was his first wicket in ODIs.[14]
In the second match, Chahal took three wickets for just 26 runs and led his side to victory by 8 wickets. In his second over, he delivered a seam-up delivery at a speed of 109 km/h.[15] His bowling performance earned him first international man of the match award as well.
He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut against Zimbabwe at Harare on 18 June 2016, Malcolm Waller was his first wicket in T20Is.[16]
On 1 February 2017, he became the first bowler for India to take a five wicket haul in T20Is, ending with figures of 6/25 against England.[17][18] Yuzvendra Chahal was also the first legspinner to pick up a fifer as well as 6 wicket haul in a T20I and had the record for the best bowling as a legspinner in T20I history (6/25).
He took the most wickets (23) in T20Is in 2017 by any bowler.[19] Chahal is also the first Indian bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in T20Is in the third T20 against England on February 1, 2017.
On 18 January 2019, Chahal took his 2nd One Day International 5 wicket haul by taking 6/42 against Australia. These were the joint best figures by an Indian bowler vs Aussies after Ajit Agarkar in 2003/04. These also were best figures by an Indian spinner at MCG in Australia against Australia. In this match, Australia scored 230 in 48.5 overs while India chased it easily by winning it from 7 wickets courtesy fine knocks from M.S. Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav.
In April 2019, he was named in India’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[20][21] He ended his world cup campaign with 12 wickets.[22] In November 2019, during the third T20I against Bangladesh, he became the third bowler for India to take 50 wickets in T20Is.[23]