Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma Divorce Case: Mumbai High Court Directs Decision by March 20

In a significant development in the divorce case of Indian cricketer **Yuzvendra Chahal** and his wife **Dhanashree Verma**, the **Mumbai High Court** has instructed the family court to make a decision on their divorce petition by **March 20**, as Chahal is scheduled to participate in the **Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025** season starting on **March 22**.

According to **Bar and Bench** reports, the couple, who married in December 2020, has been living separately since June 2022. In February of this year, they filed for divorce in the **Bandra Family Court**. Along with the divorce petition, the couple also filed an application to waive the mandatory **cooling-off period** required under Section **13B(2)**, which typically mandates a six-month waiting period before a divorce can be finalized. However, given that Chahal and Dhanashree have been living apart for over two years, the **Mumbai High Court** did not find it necessary to apply the cooling-off provision.

The case became complicated when, on **February 20**, the court rejected their application to waive the cooling-off period, citing partial compliance with the terms of their settlement agreement. As per the agreement, Yuzvendra Chahal had agreed to pay Dhanashree a lump sum amount of **₹4.75 crore** as part of the divorce settlement. However, Chahal had only paid **₹2.37 crore** so far, leaving a balance amount that had not been settled. The court viewed the non-payment of the remaining amount as a failure to comply with the terms of the agreement, leading to the rejection of the request to bypass the cooling-off period.

After receiving a report from the family counselor highlighting the issue of non-compliance, the family court ruled on the matter. The **Mumbai High Court** noted that since the couple had already been separated for over two years, this could justify a decision in favor of proceeding with the remaining payment, in accordance with the agreement.

The family court has been directed to make a final decision on the divorce petition by **March 20** (Thursday), due to the upcoming IPL season.