In a disturbing incident, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's five-year old daughter received rape threats from a social media user following Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday night. CSK failed to chase a 168-run target, losing the game to KKR by 10 runs. Dhoni's wife Sakshi, got threats on her Instagram account.
Cricketer Irfan Pathan said that no matter how a player plays, it does not give anyone the authority to threaten a young child. “All the players giving their best, sometimes it just doesn’t work but it doesn’t give any one any authority to give a threat to a young child,” he said.
All the players giving their best,sometimes it just doesn’t work but it’s doesn’t give any one any authority to give a threat to a young child #mentality #respect
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 9, 2020
Actor-turned-politician Nagma tweeted, "Where are we headed as a Nation? It's disgusting Dhoni's 5-Year-Old Daughter Ziva is Getting Rape Threats after CSK Lost IPL Match to KKR. Mr #PM what is this happening In our country?? "Sowmya Reddy, MLA from Jayanagara, Karnataka, wrote on her timeline, "This is just nasty! What's happening to our country? Where are we heading?"
Where are we headed as a Nation it’s is disgusting Dhoni's 5-Year-Old Daughter Ziva is Getting Rape Threats after CSK Lost IPL Match to KKR. Mr #PM what is this happening In our country ?? #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao https://t.co/z8bIBTYHGi
— Nagma (@nagma_morarji) October 9, 2020
Where are we headed as a Nation it’s is disgusting Dhoni's 5-Year-Old Daughter Ziva is Getting Rape Threats after CSK Lost IPL Match to KKR. Mr #PM what is this happening In our country ?? #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao https://t.co/z8bIBTYHGi
— Nagma (@nagma_morarji) October 9, 2020
Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted, "This has to be the most disgusting example of how social media platforms are being misused."
There was outrage on social media after the threat
This has to be the most disgusting example of how social media platforms are being misused. If GoI still turns a blind eye to this then I’d say they are complicit in promoting& condoning such mentality with regards to women&sick, perverse mentality https://t.co/Wjm3caWltf
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) October 9, 2020
Dhoni's 6-year-old daughter Ziva is getting rape threats because he didn't play well in IPL
— Noor (@noorzayyubi) October 9, 2020
Do you see the future of this country for women? where they're normally giving a 6 year old rape threats because her father didn't play a game well?
Makes me sick
Dhoni's five year old daughter getting rape threats is an example of toxic masculinity that a female has to bear the brunt of a man's actions, no matter if she's a grown up or a toddler.
— مہرین (@Meherr_) October 9, 2020
No line for decency. Even children are fair game for misogynists. Only a morally corrupt and depraved society will stoop down to this level. Nothing shocks us anymore as the moral compass is broken. #ziva #Dhonihaters https://t.co/LUGSfe7gtf
— Marya Shakil (@maryashakil) October 9, 2020
Disgusted and shocked to hear that Dhoni's five-year-old daughter is getting rape threats because he didn't play well enough in some match.
— Andre Borges (@borges) October 9, 2020
This country is too comfortable threatening women of any age, at any time, for anything... even if it has nothing to do with them.
Even if #dhoni hadn't won a single match for #india , nobody had the right to drag his #daughter or any woman from his family or any other member. Even if it wasn't #MSD and some common man, no one has the right to say such disgraceful things to anyone. #ziva #CSK
— Chayan Sarkar (@chayansarkar87) October 10, 2020
Fans have often taken losses personally and vented their frustration out on the players. In the past, fans have pelted stones at players' homes, burnt posters and hurled abuses, and this seems to be only getting worse. Sometimes, the players’ spouses and partners are also blamed for their performance.
CSK at one stage seemed to be in control of the match against KKR and on course for a victory. However, some sluggish batting towards the end from skipper Dhoni along with Kedhar Jadhav, when the team needed big runs, cost them the game.