T20 World Cup: India women's team faces online trolling after loss vs New Zealand

The Indian women's team was heavily trolled after their T20 World Cup opener loss to New Zealand. The heavy bullying came after Harmanpreet Kaur lost their bearings and were bowled out for just 102 runs in Dubai.

In Short

• India lost their T20 World Cup opener vs New Zealand
• Indian team was trolled online
• India are in a precarious position after losing their first match

The Indian women's team faced heavy trolling after losing their opener in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024. The Harmanpreet Kaur side put themselves in a precarious position after losing by 58 runs against Sophie Devine's New Zealand in the Dubai International Stadium on Friday, October 5.

The Indian women's team faced heavy trolling for the amount of money that they earned, which was recently made equal to the men's team. The Board of Control for Cricket in India had announced equal match fees for Indian men's and women's cricketers back in 2022.

"The BCCI Women cricketers will be paid the same match fee as their male counterparts. Test (INR 15 lakhs), ODI (INR 6 lakhs), T20I (INR 3 lakhs). Pay equity was my commitment to our women cricketers and I thank the Apex Council for their support. Jai Hind," Jay Shah had tweeted nearly two years back.

Trolls attacked the Indian team with the same for their performance against New Zealand - a team that came into the tournament with a record of 10 consecutive losses.

ICC LAUNCHES AI TOOL TO HELP PLAYERS

Right before the start of the tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had announced an innovative social media moderation programme aimed at fostering a more positive and inclusive online experience for teams and players. With over 60 players already signed up and onboarding ongoing, this initiative reflects the ICC's commitment to creating a safer digital environment in the lead-up to the tournament.

In a proactive step to safeguard the mental health of athletes and fans alike, the ICC introduced advanced software designed to protect the cricket community from toxic online content. This initiative is part of a broader suite of digital products that the ICC is rolling out for the tournament, aimed at promoting healthier interactions within the cricketing community.

After the match, India batter Jemimah Rodrigues said that the team would like to forget their Women's T20 World Cup 2024 opener against New Zealand. India fell to a shock loss against New Zealand, who had lost 10 games in a row before this. The Harmanpreet Kaur side failed to chase down 161 runs and were bowled out for just 102 in Dubai.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Jemimah said that India needed to pick themselves up quickly and show the character that this team had. After losing to NZ, India have an uphill task of beating Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, if they are to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament.

INDIA'S DISASTROUS CHASE

Chasing 161, India got off to a poor start as Shafali Verma handed a return catch to Kiwi left-arm spinner Eden Carson (2/34 in 4 overs) in the second over. Smriti Mandhana, India's best and most consistent batter over the past few years, also tried to get going and was holed out in the deep while seamer Rosemary Mair (4/19 in 4 overs) bowled one that swung in to hit Harmanpreet on the pads. India Women were left reeling at three wickets down within the powerplay.

India suffered another major blow within the powerplay when skipper Harmanpreet was trapped LBW by a sharp inswinger from Rosemary Mair. Lea Tahuhu further dismantled the middle order, dismissing Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma, as India's innings fizzled out. Mair capped the performance with career-best figures of 4-19, sealing India’s fate and securing a resounding win for New Zealand.

As the match progressed, the asking rate increased, and India Women struggled to find their rhythm in the chase. Sophie Devine effectively led her team, and the White Ferns maintained pressure by taking wickets at regular intervals. Ultimately, India Women were bowled out for 102 with one over remaining, losing the match by 58 runs. It was a disappointing performance for Harmanpreet Kaur's side, which struggled across all three departments of the game. This loss not only marked a tough start for India Women in the tournament but also significantly impacted their net run rate due to the substantial margin of defeat.