Harmanpreet Kaur-led India faces brutal online backlash after ‘pathetic loss’ to New Zealand, as old BCCI tweet resurfaces

The Indian women’s cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, faced a tough defeat in their T20 World Cup opener in Dubai, losing to New Zealand by 58 runs. This stunning result not only jeopardized their chances of reaching the semifinals but also triggered a wave of harsh criticism on social media.

India’s Shocking Defeat The match against New Zealand marked a disappointing start for the Indian side, who were considered strong contenders for the title. Bowling first, India struggled with their plans and looked sloppy in the field. New Zealand’s openers dominated, racking up a fifty-run stand in the powerplay. Captain Sophie Devine’s unbeaten 57 propelled New Zealand to a competitive total of 161.

In response, India’s batting collapsed, with none of their batters scoring more than 15 runs. The team was bowled out for a mere 102 runs, leaving them with a tough road ahead in the tournament. To keep their semifinal hopes alive, India must secure significant wins against both Sri Lanka and Pakistan, as well as challenge the reigning champions, Australia.

Social Media Backlash and the Resurfacing of an Old BCCI Tweet Following the defeat, India’s performance was met with brutal trolling on social media. Fans began to recall an old tweet from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted in 2022, celebrating the announcement of equal match fees for men and women cricketers. The tweet read: “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.”

In light of the loss, social media users sarcastically referenced the pay equality announcement, questioning whether the performance justified the earnings.

India’s Path Forward Despite the online backlash, the Indian team remains focused on bouncing back. Star batter Jemimah Rodrigues emphasized the importance of moving on from the defeat: “Today would be the game we would like to forget, because this is a World Cup. We need to keep picking ourselves up. We know every game from here is crucial for us.”

The team now faces a challenging road ahead, with high-stakes matches that will decide their future in the tournament.