India pacer Kranti Gaud faces gender-based abuse during IND vs PAK women's Asia Cup 2026 match; video goes viral

India pacer Kranti Gaud became a victim of derogatory remarks during their Women's Asia Cup 2026 clash against Pakistan, and the video went viral on social media. In the video, Gaud was fielding on the boundary at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 5 September, when a fan can be heard making gender-based remarks about Gaud.

“Ladka khila dia India ne, ye dekho. ye ladka hae. India har waqt dhoke se jeetta hae (Look, India fielded this boy—just look at him. He's just a boy. India always wins by cheating),” came the words from the person, while other Pakistani fans sitting beside him also mocked the Indian cricketer. However, the identities of the person/persons involved couldn't be verified.

Targeting female athletes for their looks and physical appearance on social media remains a problem in sport, and this incident once again highlighted the negative side of the game. Gaud isn't the first Indian cricketer to have been abused on social media. 

LiveMint reached out to BCCI for comment but has yet to receive a response from the Indian cricket board.

Watch video here

Earlier, Indian male fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were targeted with racial slurs on the field in Australia back in 2021.

What happened in India vs Pakistan clash?

During the match, India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets as Shree Charani and Prema Rawat claimed three wickets each in a one-sided Group A contest. Charani (3/7) and Rawat (3/9) bowled devastating spells to dismiss Pakistan for 55 in 18.1 overs, their lowest-ever T20I total.

India chased down the target in just 8.4 overs for the loss of three wickets, with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur unbeaten on 18. Pakistan's previous lowest T20I total was 63, scored in 19.1 overs against India in Guangzhou during the group stage of the 2012 Women's T20 Asia Cup. In the semifinals, India will face either Bangladesh or the United Arab Emirates on 10 September.

Fatima Sana fined 10% match fee by ICC

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has been fined 10% of her match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the game. The incident occurred in the second over of India's innings, when Fatima, after dismissing Shafali Verma, gestured in the direction of the pavilion.

Fatima was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage, or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match,” as per the ICC media release.

In addition, one demerit point has been added to Fatima's disciplinary record, for which it was the second offence in a 24-month period, bringing her tally to two. Fatima received her earlier demerit point during the first match of a T20I series against Ireland in Dublin on 6 August 2025.

Sana admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Supriya Rani Das of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Nimali Perera and Shathira Jakir Jesy, third umpire Rokeya Sultana and fourth umpire Rabab Ahsan levelled the charge.