More than 100 women cricketers have signed up for the ICC Player Protection Programme, a digital initiative designed to combat online trolling during the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The ICC confirmed that over 50 new sign-ups were recorded at the start of the tournament. Seven of the 12 participating teams, along with umpires and broadcasters, are now protected under the programme. The AI-powered tool reviewed nearly 250,000 comments in the first week and removed almost 60,000 harmful pieces of content. It also restricted more than 2,000 repeat offenders and blocked 370 users.
Indian spinner Radha Yadav said she joined the programme to counter the growing toxicity of social media. “Social media can be an amazing resource, but it has become increasingly toxic, especially for female athletes,” she explained. England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones echoed similar concerns, noting that the programme has helped her deal with abuse online.
Introduced ahead of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, the ICC Player Protection Programme has since operated across all ICC events. It aims to safeguard athletes’ well-being, allowing them to interact confidently with fans while reducing exposure to harmful content. Scotland’s Sarah Bryce, who signed up in 2024, said the programme has “made a massive difference” for younger players.
The ICC stressed that the initiative is part of its wider approach to player wellbeing and safeguarding, ensuring athletes can focus on their performance without the distraction of online abuse.
