New Delhi: In the ongoing match between Indian patriarchy and women’s safety, misogyny continues to lead by an innings and several centuries. Two players from the Australia women’s national cricket team were stalked and groped by a man on a motorcycle in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, proving yet again that in India, no amount of fame or physical fitness can protect a woman from patriarchy on two wheels.

The incident occurred around 11 am on October 23, when the players were walking from their hotel to a café. The players were in Indore to play a match of the ICC Women's World Cup which India is hosting. This was a reckless act, apparently, at least according to BJP minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who later suggested the women “should not have gone out unescorted.” Translation: women’s freedom remains a crime of visibility.

Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry told The Wire: “We are all shocked. It’s not just the street anymore; the hate follows you home, into your phone.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kumar Prateek told The Wire that the accused, identified as Aqeel, was arrested within six hours. “The accused followed the players, groped one, and attempted to grab the other before fleeing,” he said. “They immediately sent SOS alerts and their live location to their security manager, who contacted us.”

Aqeel reportedly told police he “only wanted a selfie.” Often, in India, the line between consent and convenience is blurred beyond recognition. Officers found a prior criminal record. “This was not a misunderstanding, it was a deliberate act of harassment,” Prateek said.

Cricket Australia, in a statement to The Wire, spoke of the sequence: “When the two members of the Australian Women’s team were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist, the matter was reported by team security to law enforcement. They immediately started checking CCTV footage and caught the perpetrator in a few hours.”

The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) expressed “shock and regret,” promising to review safety protocols.

But while many are sorry this happened, we cannot really expect structural change.

A disturbing reflection of reality (that everyone already knows)

Women’s rights activist Kavita Krishnan called the incident “symptomatic of a much deeper rot." Indeed, women have been screaming this for decades.

“This assault is not an exception,” she said, speaking to The Wire. “If two global athletes, backed by security and institutional protection, can be harassed in broad daylight, what hope do ordinary women have when they step out to work, study, or simply exist?”

She also pointed to Indore’s “safe city” status. “Indore is marketed as one of India’s safest cities. Apparently, ‘safe’ now means you might get assaulted, but at least the police will text you back,” she said. “When even world-class athletes aren’t safe, it tells us this isn’t about who the woman is; it’s about a culture that believes women shouldn’t be visible unless they’re on a billboard selling detergent.”

Krishnan’s conclusion was blunt: “Until there’s consequence, not just condolence, women will continue to live in fear. This isn’t about cricket. It’s about survival.”

Outrage, erasure, and the internet’s infinite wisdom

If women’s trauma had frequent flyer miles, it would’ve circled the internet a thousand times before justice even checked in. A fan account that posted about the incident learned this the hard way; its post was flooded with “vile, misogynistic abuse” within hours. Drowned in digital sewage, the account eventually took it down. The Wire confirmed with Cricket Australia’s Melbourne office that the post; which had also tagged the board’s official X handle, was removed after the online harassment spiral began.

But outrage quickly morphed into victim-blaming. Because in India, walking to a café remains an extreme sport.

Minister Vijayvargiya’s “unescorted” comment added fuel to the digital sewer. Women’s rights activist Trisha Shetty slammed him while speaking to The Wire: “It’s a textbook case of patriarchal deflection – punishing women for existing in public.”

Shetty added, “Women are abused on the street and then abused online for talking about it. That’s the real cycle of violence.”

Beyond Sport: The Everyday Misogyny League

This isn’t just about cricket; it’s about power; about who gets to occupy public space without fear. Sports sociologist Sharda Ugra told The Wire: “When athletes; women who represent discipline and pride, are harassed for existing, it’s not a sports issue. It’s a social design flaw.”

And it’s a flaw India keeps mass-producing. Every such incident is a masterclass in entitlement; a reminder that the real national game isn’t bat versus ball, but “Who Gets to Move Freely.” Spoiler: not women.

The violence metastasizes online; in comment threads, WhatsApp groups, and drawing-room debates where moralists review women’s choices like bad cricket replays. Every time an official calls it “isolated,” it signals permission for the next man to try his luck.

If anyone knows what it’s like to be punished for visibility, it’s India’s own wrestling champions. Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia; names once shouted with pride in every living room, found themselves branded as troublemakers when they accused BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, then chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, of sexual harassment.

Singh, a man with more clout than shame, strutted around giving interviews while the women who brought India glory slept on the pavement, medals pressed to their chests like shields. The government called for “due process,” which, in India, often means: stall, smear, and hope the women get tired.

Sakshi eventually retired in tears. Vinesh was suspended. Brij Bhushan smiled for the cameras.

As Trisha Shetty said, “This isn’t about cricket, or any other sport for that matter. It’s about control; about reminding women that no matter how successful, they must still fear walking alone.”

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