The Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) victory in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 final was a landmark moment for women's cricket in India. But why is this historic win met with misogynistic trolling online, which is unfair to both men's and women's teams? Team RCB, long plagued by trophyless seasons in the men's Indian Premier League (IPL), finally secured a championship title on Sunday night. However, the celebratory mood was dampened as the tasteless online reactions outpoured with fans calling out the men's team and ridiculing them for never having performed enough like their female counterparts to pick up the trophy. Isn't this trolling unfair to both the teams as RCB's WPL win deserves to be celebrated for its own merit, away from the baggage of the men's team losses?
Why It's Unfair To Cloud RCB's Win
The well-deserving victory of RCB in the WPL 2024 finals should have been turned into a triumph after a years-long wait of RCB fans for a victory was chagrined as it turned into a trolling battleground for some on the internet as the Women's victory faced mixed reactions.
RCB's large and passionate fanbase often butts heads with supporters of other franchise teams, especially when it comes to rivalry with Delhi Capitals (DC) as the team has been giving tough time on grounds to RCB in both IPL and WPL. As the WPL spectated finals between RCB and DC, the rivalry got intense and soon spilt over into online negativity, especially after RCB's big win.
RCB's off-spinner, Shreyanka Patil on their victory expressed meeting the sentiments of fans as she said in a statement: "They keep saying 'Ee sala cup namde' (this time the Cup is ours) and we got it. That's it guys, it is for the fans" which signified the significance of their victory for the fans.
However, several netizens decided to express negativity through memes and comments that were both disrespectful towards women's teams and men's teams. This detracts from the true achievement of the women's RCB team and the growth of women's cricket.
Meme culture has often spectated misogyny in its ugliest forms on the internet on several occasions, and RCB's victory was no different as the internet was flooded with memes like, "chhudiyan pehna do haath me (make the men wear bangles)." This highlights how the women's victory was met with unwelcoming sourness blended in sexism and problematic expectations and demeaning both men and women in disguise of "jokes".
This behaviour also reinforces the stereotype that women's achievements, work, and even their cricket are inferior to men's, and this toxicity not only is underwhelming but also casts a shadow on what truly matters - the incredible performances by RCB players like Sophie Molineux and Smriti Mandhana. Their skill and hard work, along with other players deserve to be the centre of the conversation.
Disrespectful memes and comments not only put the spirits of many off but also diminish the achievements and incredible talents of the players showcasing exceptional athleticism. Drawing parallels between the two teams overshadows the dedication and talent of the WPL champions. They deserve to be recognized for their own success, not seen as a consolation prize.
The WPL victory is a significant milestone for Indian women's cricket. Let's not allow online negativity to steal its shine and use social media to celebrate its growth and inspire future generations of female cricketers. RCB's win deserves to be a moment of pride, not a launchpad for online toxicity.
Here are some memes that were too problematic to not call out:
Views expressed are the author's own.
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