The Indian women’s cricket team faced severe trolling following their disappointing performance against New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 opener on Friday. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, the team suffered a 58-run defeat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which led to a wave of criticism on social media, even with the International Cricket Council (ICC) launching an AI tool to combat such negativity prior to the tournament.
On October 3, the ICC announced a social media moderation program aimed at fostering a more positive and inclusive online environment for teams and players. The initiative has already seen participation from over 60 players as onboarding continues. The ICC also introduced new software designed to protect the cricket community from toxic content, with the goal of safeguarding individuals’ mental health and promoting a safer, kinder online space for the sport.
Despite these efforts, the Indian women’s cricket team was subjected to heavy trolling online. New Zealand secured a commanding victory, posting 160 for 4 in 20 overs after choosing to bat first, with Sophie Devine leading the charge with an impressive 57 runs off 36 balls. Renuka Thakur Singh was the standout bowler for India, taking 2 wickets for 27 runs. In response, India struggled and was all out for 102 in 19 overs, with Rosemary Mair achieving remarkable figures of 4 for 19.
India’s next challenge will be against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on October 6.