‘There’s a guy following us’: How Australian cricketers sounded the alarm in India

3 hours ago 2

Players boss Paul Marsh has refuted suggestions that Australian cricketers broke World Cup protocols on the Indore morning coffee run where they were “grabbed” by an assailant now in police custody, as details emerged about how players informed team security staff of the incident.

A man identified by Indian media as Akil Khan allegedly approached two members of the women’s World Cup squad about 11am on Thursday while he was riding a motorbike on the street.

The Australian squad was due to leave Indore on Sunday.

The accused was arrested on stalking and inappropriate touching charges on Saturday night as politicians condemned the attack, described by state minister Kailash Vijayvargiya as “a stain on India’s image”.

The team’s security manager, Danny Simmons, told police that he received a text message from one of the players when the accused tried to grab one of the pair about 500m from their hotel, The Times of India reported.

“Hey SoS [Simmons’ nickname], just sending you my live location… there’s a guy following us trying to grab us,” the player wrote. Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Paul Marsh said he had spoken to Cricket Australia and the two players involved.

Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Paul Marsh.

“Obviously it was distressing, they were shaken up by it, but they’re OK,” Marsh said.

“The response from the Australian team’s security manager on the ground in India and the local police was excellent. Players spend long periods of time overseas and they need to be able to get out of the hotel from time to time.

“This is an incident that we hope is never repeated.”

Marsh also strongly rejected any suggestion that the players had not followed security protocols for the tournament. The pair advised the team’s security manager before they went on their coffee run, doing so in a pair or a group, rather than going out alone.

Akil Khan, charged with stalking and inappropriate touching.

A video of Khan released by Indore police showed him hopping on his left foot as he was led by several officers. His right foot and left arm were heavily bandaged.

Indore’s Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya said the accused been charged under sections 74 and 78 of the criminal code, which deal with assault or using criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, and stalking.

Members of the Australian squad were due to leave the city on Sunday, ahead of a semi-final against India in Mumbai.

The women’s game has surged in popularity in India and around the world on the back of the Women’s Premier League. Thirty million people watched the opening match this year.

But guaranteeing safety for women remains difficult in a country where 90 per cent of sexual assault cases reported in 2022 were still awaiting resolution last year, according to a report by the non-profit Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.