Fact Check: Champions Trophy 2025 Viral Face and Gamer Payal Dhare Falsely Linked to ‘Dubai MMS Leak’

A social media influencer and one of the leading female online gamers in the country, Payal Dhare shot into the spotlight earlier this year after she went viral during the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai, with clips of her presence in the stands during India's matches spreading rapidly across social media. The sudden attention turned her into one of the most searched names during the tournament.

Payal has now found herself at the centre of a malicious online campaign, with social media posts falsely claiming that a "Dubai MMS video" involving her has recently been leaked. A fact check by MyKhel finds that the viral claim is misleading and untrue and a malicious attempt to defame her.

Who Is Payal Dhare?

Payal Dhare, popularly known as Payal Gaming, is a leading Indian

gaming content creator and streamer. Born on September 18, 2000, she hails from Chhattisgarh and began her YouTube journey in 2019, initially streaming PUBG and later BGMI. Over the years, she has built a strong presence in India's gaming ecosystem through her association with leading esports organisation S8UL Esports, where she emerged as a prominent streamer.

Her impact and consistency in the space have earned her multiple accolades, including Best Female Gamer honours. Beyond competitive gaming and content creation, Payal has also collaborated with major global brands such as Samsung, OnePlus, AMD and MSI, underlining her influence both within and beyond the gaming community.

Payal Dhare commands 4-million-plus followers on Instagram and her bio claims she was named Mobile Streamer of the Year in 2024 and is associated with smartphone brand iQOO as a brand ambassador. She is part of S8UL Esports, while her professional and commercial engagements are managed by 8bit Creatives.

She has also been lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her work. She was amongst the few influencers and digital content creators who got the opportunity to interact with the PM Modi during News18 India's Rising Bharat Summit.

Her appearance during the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai introduced her to a much wider, non-gaming audience, especially cricket fans.

What Are the Viral Claims?

In recent days, several posts across platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Telegram and Instagram have claimed that a "1 minute 20 second MMS video" allegedly featuring Payal Dhare has leaked from Dubai.

These posts are accompanied by clickbait captions and links claiming to host the video, which have been widely circulated despite lacking any credible sourcing.

Fact Check: What We Found

MyKhel's verification of the viral claims shows:

• No authentic or verified video involving Payal Dhare has surfaced.
• The links shared alongside the claims redirect users to spam, phishing or unrelated websites.
• Some clips and images circulating online are AI-generated deepfakes or unrelated videos falsely attributed to her.

Payal Dhare has not issued any statement confirming or acknowledging any such incident. Similar fake MMS claims involving her have surfaced earlier and were debunked as fabricated content.

Fact Check Verdict: False

The viral claim that a "Dubai MMS leak" involving Payal Dhare, surfaced recently is false and misleading. The information floating on the social media appear to be part of a targeted misinformation and deepfake campaign, exploiting her public image.

The recent MMS allegations have no factual basis and highlight the growing misuse of AI-generated content and clickbait narratives against public figures. Readers are advised to avoid sharing unverified claims, stay clear of suspicious links, and rely on credible sources for verification.