ICC Women's T20 World Cup Players Hail Online Protection Program

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-06-28

Several players at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 have praised the ICC's Player Protection Program for cutting down online abuse toward women cricketers. The program, run with Freedom2hear (formerly GoBubble), helps international cricketers filter out harmful content on social media. Over 100 female cricketers have signed up so far, with more than 50 new registrations right before the tournament. Seven of the 12 competing teams are covered, plus umpires and broadcasters. ### Tool Removes Thousands of Harmful Comments in First Week In the first week of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 alone, the tool checked nearly 250,000 comments and removed almost 60,000 harmful ones. Over 2,000 repeat offenders got temporary restrictions, and 370 accounts were blocked entirely. The program also protects official ICC social media accounts, adding an extra layer of safety beyond individual player profiles. ### Players Speak Out on the Impact England wicket-keeper-batter Amy Jones shared her thoughts. She said the program tackles the toxicity female athletes face online. "We have a great relationship with the vast majority of our fans, and we love interacting with them in person and on social media," Jones said. "But the downside is that there are people who choose to abuse you instead, so it's great that there are companies who are trying to clean things up and offer us some protection." Jones added that having the ICC's full support behind this program shows player wellbeing is a top priority. ### India's Radha Yadav on Social Media Toxicity India spinner Radha Yadav also spoke up. She pointed to the increasingly hostile environment on social media for women in sports. "It's important to talk about this openly and find solutions to the problem, which is why I signed up for the ICC Player Protection Programme," Yadav said. Her words echo a concern many players share. Younger cricketers are especially vulnerable because they use social media so actively. ### Scotland's Sarah Bryce Calls It a 'Massive Difference' Scotland wicket-keeper Sarah Bryce joined the program during its first rollout before the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024. She said it's made a real difference. "It's nice having that peace of mind because a lot of the players, the young players in particular, use social media a lot," said Bryce. "It's important we find ways to make social media as safe a place as possible, especially for the youngsters coming through who are probably more active on social media, and probably more susceptible to being affected by comments." The program uses non-intrusive tech that lets players set their own content filters with Freedom2hear. Players can join remotely at any point during the tournament. First launched for the 2024 edition, it's now used at all ICC events. ### Key Takeaways - Over 100 female cricketers have signed up for the program. - Nearly 60,000 harmful comments were removed in the first week. - 370 accounts were blocked for abusive behavior. - The program covers players, umpires, broadcasters, and official ICC accounts. This initiative shows how sports organizations can step up to protect athletes online. It's a model that could inspire similar efforts in other sports and regions.