More Than 100 Women Cricketers Join ICC Programme to Fight Social Media Trolling

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has significantly strengthened its efforts to protect women cricketers from the growing menace of online abuse, with more than 100 players enrolling in its Player Protection Programme during the ongoing ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 .

The initiative, developed in partnership with AI powered moderation platform Freedom2hear , aims to create a safer digital environment by identifying, filtering and removing abusive content before it reaches players. According to the ICC, more than 50 additional players signed up for the programme at the start of the tournament, taking the total number of protected women cricketers beyond 100.

The programme has already made a significant impact. During the first week of the tournament alone, the AI system reviewed nearly 2.5 lakh social media comments and removed almost 60,000 harmful posts . It also temporarily restricted over 2,000 repeat offenders from interacting with protected accounts, while 370 users were blocked completely.

Currently, seven of the 12 participating teams are covered under the programme, with match officials and broadcasters also benefiting from the digital protection service. The ICC has also extended moderation support to its official social media channels.

India spinner Radha Yadav said the increasing toxicity on social media was one of the main reasons behind her decision to join the initiative. She acknowledged that while social media allows athletes to stay connected with fans, friends and family, it has also become an increasingly hostile space, particularly for women sportspersons. Yadav said it was important to openly discuss the issue and support practical solutions that safeguard players' wellbeing.

England wicketkeeper batter Amy Jones echoed similar concerns, describing online abuse as an unfortunate reality for international athletes. She welcomed the ICC's efforts, saying the programme allows players to engage with genuine supporters without constantly worrying about harmful messages. Jones added that prioritising players' mental wellbeing is an important step forward for the sport.

The programme was first introduced ahead of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup and has since been implemented across all ICC tournaments. Scotland's Sarah Bryce , who joined the initiative during its inaugural edition, said it has made a "massive difference," especially for younger players who spend considerable time on social media.

As online harassment continues to affect athletes across sports, the ICC's proactive approach highlights the growing importance of digital safety and mental wellbeing in modern cricket.