Online hate when we were down never reached dressing room: Sneh Rana on facing criticism during ICC Women's World Cup

India's off-spinner opens up on Indian team facing social media criticism after a few bad days and losses at the Women's World Cup.

Though the entire nation today stands on its feet applauding the Women in Blue, just a couple of weeks ago, the same team was at the receiving end of social media criticism after a few bad days and losses. But as Team India’s spin bowler Sneh Rana shares, such was the determination that the noise never made its way into their minds or their dressing room. “The online hate, the negativity, it just never reached our dressing room,” Sneh says with calm assurance. “We never got into reading what anyone was saying online. We were chasing a bigger dream, which was to be crowned the World Champions and make India proud, and we were only focused on that,” she adds.

Sneh Rana (Centre) celebrating a wicket with team mates during a group stage match of the Women's World Cup.

For the 31-year-old, this World Cup win isn’t just about the present team, it’s a tribute to the trailblazers who came before them. As scenes from the celebration showed current players embracing legends including Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, Sneh’s words carry deep emotion: “These are the women in Indian cricket who deserve this trophy more than us. Yeh khaali ek din ki jeet nahi hai, bahut saalon ki mehnat and bahut players ke sapno ki jeet hai. When we saw these players, who have been our inspirations lifting the cup, the tears in their eyes and the pride on their faces, it said everything. They have laid the foundation for women’s cricket in India. We have learnt and grown up watching them.