By Trisha Ghosal in Indore
The Indian women’s team has lost two back-to-back matches in the World Cup, and suddenly, social media has turned into a playground for the worst kind of misogyny. It’s not about tactics, selections, or strike rates anymore, it’s about reminding women where they “belong”. The kitchen jokes are back. The old clips of men saying “women should never play cricket” are being retweeted with glee. And the same people who don’t remember the last bilateral series India played, have suddenly found their voice to declare that women’s cricket is a waste of investment.
The irony is, these are the same fans who claim that criticism is a part of sport. Sure, it is. But there’s a chasm between questioning Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy or India’s five-bowler strategy and mocking women for daring to play cricket at all. One is analysis. The other is prejudice, masquerading as opinion.
Let’s call this out for what it is, deep-rooted misogyny spilling over the moment women falter. Because, when the men’s team loses, nobody says, “Send them back to the kitchen.” When the women’s team loses, it’s suddenly a referendum on their right to play the game. That’s not “equal criticism”; that’s pure sexism.
The equal pay debate is another favourite. The outrage isn’t about merit, it’s about ego. The discomfort isn’t financial, it’s psychological: “How can a woman earn as much as a man in cricket?” The assumption is that men are “superior” athletes, playing “real” cricket, while women’s cricket is some sideshow. It’s the same mindset that refuses to acknowledge growth, skill, or the fact that millions of girls now dream with a bat and ball because of these players.
And to those asking why women’s cricket fans “get so defensive”, maybe because they’ve had to defend the very existence of their sport every single day. The moment a woman criticises a male cricketer, she’s abused. During the England tour, when I criticised Shubman Gill’s captaincy in a Test, I was trolled for three days straight. My knowledge, my upbringing, even my gender, everything was fair game. So no, this isn’t about being “too sensitive.” It’s about demanding basic respect.
Ask hard questions. Demand accountability. Discuss poor shot selection or strategy. But don’t cloak misogyny as cricket analysis. Because those who wake up only during World Cups to spew sexist nonsense aren’t fans, they’re part of the problem.
Criticism helps teams grow. Misogyny kills the game. And if you can’t tell the difference, maybe it’s time to stop pretending you understand cricket at all.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news