More than 100 women cricketers have enrolled in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Player Protection Programme, an initiative aimed at shielding players from online abuse and harassment during the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup.
The programme, run in partnership with AI-powered moderation platform Freedom2hear, monitors social media activity and removes abusive content directed at players and officials.
According to the ICC, more than 50 players joined the programme at the start of the tournament. Seven of the 12 participating teams, along with match officials and broadcasters, are currently covered under the initiative.
During the first week of the tournament, the moderation tool reviewed nearly 250,000 social media comments and removed almost 60,000 pieces of harmful content. It also temporarily restricted more than 2,000 repeat offenders and blocked 370 users.
Indian spinner Radha Yadav said increasing toxicity on social media prompted her to join the programme.
"Social media can be such an amazing resource for me to interact with friends, family, and fans all over the world, but it's also become an increasingly toxic space, especially for female athletes," Yadav said.
England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones said the initiative helps players cope with online abuse while allowing them to continue engaging with supporters.
"It is something that we sadly have to deal with as international athletes in the public eye," Jones said, adding that the programme places players' wellbeing at the forefront.
Scotland's Sarah Bryce, who joined the programme during the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup, said it has made a significant difference by giving players greater peace of mind while using social media.
The ICC introduced the Player Protection Programme ahead of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup as part of its wider player wellbeing and safeguarding strategy. Since then, it has been extended to all ICC events to help participants engage with fans while reducing their exposure to abusive online content.