Australian women's cricketer receives police escort in Mumbai after Indore molestation episode

Days after two Australian women's cricketers were allegedly harassed by a motorcyclist in Indore, local authorities in Mumbai have tightened security measures for the visiting team. The players have now been provided with a police escort during their movements across the city ahead of their semi-final fixture against India. 

The precautionary step comes after the incident in Indore, where two members of the Australian Women’s team were approached and inappropriately touched by a motorcyclist while walking to a cafe near their hotel. The matter drew widespread anger, with the accused being arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Police within hours. 

In reply to the episode, the Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra Cricket Association have jointly increased the security protocol for the Australian contingent. A senior police official confirmed that officers have been deployed to accompany the players during all movements between their hotel, practice sessions, and match venues. 

Wife of all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, Monica Wright, posted an Instagram story of their travel to a cafe in Mumbai, with two policemen on a bike behind their car. The couple gave a smile while clicking the picture. Interestingly, the police officials on the bike also smiled, with one even showing the peace sign. Wright captioned it, “Police escort to the cafe."

CA in close contact with BCCI and local police

Notably, Cricket Australia (CA) has been in close contact with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and local police to ensure that the safety of players remains the top priority. The CA security team has been actively coordinating with liaison officers in Mumbai to oversee all player-related movements. While CA refused to comment on specific details of the security measures, it spoke about the support from Indian authorities. 

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated the board’s zero-tolerance stance toward any misconduct involving visiting players. Furthermore, the BCCI has also advised all participating teams in the ongoing tournament to adhere strictly to security guidelines and avoid unescorted public outings. Despite the unfortunate episode, the Australian players have resumed training and are preparing for their next World Cup encounter in Mumbai.