Jemimah Rodrigues has welcomed the ICC’s move to introduce a new AI tool to curb online abuse in women’s cricket. Earlier, the apex board successfully conducted trials for the same during the T20 World Cup that New Zealand won in the United Arab Emirates. India had a disappointing campaign where they could not advance to the semis despite being one of the top favourites to lift the cup.
India lost their last league game to Australia, after which New Zealand’s win over Pakistan officially knocked them out of the competition. Thereafter, Harmanpreet Kaur’s women were subjected to criticism on social media platforms. Jemimah, who is currently playing for the Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League, lauded the ICC for trying to restore the sanity of the women’s game.
‘Protect us, keep the game pure’
“It’s a very good initiative by the ICC. I remember I had gone in that live because, you know, sometimes social media can be harsh. In the end, we are humans, we are all here doing our best, trying to do whatever we can. Somedays we are great, somedays we are not.
“So, it’s harsh to see people commenting all sorts of things on social media,” Jemimah told India Today in a virtual interaction, organised by Cricket Australia.
“It was such a nice thing from the ICC just to protect us and just to keep the game so pure. We are here to go out there to play and enjoy cricket, rather than dealing with all these things,” Jemimah added.
Jemimah sparkles for Heat
Jemimah had a memorable time on Saturday after she won the Player of the Match award against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba in Brisbane. Batting at No.3, she scored 61 runs off 40 balls, laced with seven fours and a six, before Megan Schutt, the all-time top wicket-taker in Women’s T20Is, dismissed her.
Jemimah’s knock made sure the Heat posted a decent total of 175 for six. The match went right down to the wire where the Heat won by eight runs. Bridget Patterson and Madeline Penna scored 61 and 47 respectively, but their knocks were in vain.
