A complaint has been lodged against Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya by a lawyer from Pune on allegations of disrespecting the national flag during the celebration of India’s victory in the T20 World Cup final. The complaint in the matter has led to an FIR being registered.
The complaint was filed by Advocate Wajid Khan at the Shivaji Nagar Police Station in Pune district of Maharashtra. While lodging the complaint, Khan stated that Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya had wrapped the national flag around himself during the celebration of India’s victory in the T20 World Cup final with his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma after India defeated the New Zealand national cricket team in the final match of the tournament.
The match was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, 8th March, where India successfully defended their title.
Lawyer claims violation of National Flag rules
Speaking to ANI, advocate Khan said the cricketer’s actions during the celebrations were inappropriate and violated the dignity of the national flag.
“You must have seen the T20 World Cup here. Hardik Pandya was dancing with his girlfriend in celebration of his victory. The national flag was tied to his back…According to Section 2 of the 1971 National Flag Act, we should respect the dignity of the national flag. However, Hardik Pandya was so lost in the celebration of his victory that he was lying with his girlfriend, wearing the national flag. I believe it is an insult to the national flag,” Khan told ANI.
#WATCH | Pune: Advocate Wajid Khan says, "You must have seen the T20 World Cup here. Hardik Pandya was dancing with his girlfriend in celebration of his victory. The national flag was tied to his back… According to Section 2 of the 1971 National Flag Act, we should respect the… pic.twitter.com/mHVHn336ql
— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2026
He also explained that he had approached the police to register a complaint regarding the incident.
“I have filed a complaint with the Shivaji Nagar police station. When I went to file the complaint, they told me the incident occurred there, not here. So I told them that the national flag is a symbol of the entire nation, and we can file a complaint with the Shivaji Nagar police. They have accepted my complaint and provided me with a copy. Let’s see what happens next. I have filed the complaint,” he added.
Viral celebration videos spark debate online
After India’s win over New Zealand, several videos surfaced on social media showing Pandya celebrating with Mahieka Sharma on the stage. In many of the clips, the couple can be seen dancing, posing with the trophy and sharing emotional moments while the rest of the team and support staff continued their celebrations nearby.
One of the viral videos shows Pandya and Mahieka lying together on the podium while celebrations were still going on around them.
