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'Why Troll?' Harbhajan Singh Calls for an End to Trolling of Australia & Their Families

image-lp83l13nAustralia won their 6th World Cup under Pat Cummins' captaincy (AP Photo)

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has called for an end to online trolling targeting Australian players and their families following Australia's victory in the 2023 World Cup final against India. 

The aftermath of the final saw wives of Australian cricketers, foreign journalists, and even New Zealand's Jimmy Neesham facing vile attacks on social media.

Indian cricket fans directed their social media criticism towards Glenn Maxwell's wife, Vini Raman, for supporting Australia despite her Indian roots. In response, Vini took to Instagram to share post-World Cup pictures and address the trolls who had targeted her.

Travis Head, the centurion of the final, witnessed his wife Jessica receiving nasty comments described as "disgusting" and "grubby" after his remarkable innings of 137. The situation escalated to a disturbing extent, with some individuals issuing rape threats against Head's 1-year-old daughter.

In response to reports of online trolling targeting the family members of Australian cricket players, Harbhajan Singh expressed his disapproval. The legendary spinner acknowledged the loss in the World Cup final to Australia, emphasizing the need for sportsmanship. The Turbanator urged cricket fans to refrain from engaging in such behavior, emphasizing the importance of maintaining sanity and dignity in the online discourse.

“Reports of trolling of family members of Australian cricket players is completely in bad taste. We played well but lost the final to better cricket by the Aussies. That’s it. Why troll the players and their families? Requesting all cricket fans to stop such behaviour. Sanity and dignity are more important,” Harbhajan Singh wrote on X.

The severity of the online attacks prompted Harbhajan to speak out, urging people to refrain from trolling Australian players and their families. 

These incidents shed light on the negative aspect of sports fandom, where a minority resort to unacceptable behavior fueled by the emotions of defeat. The need for sportsmanship and respect, both on and off the field, remains crucial to maintaining the integrity of the game.