Jemimah Rodrigues Was Forced To Uninstall WhatsApp During World Cup: "Random People Got My Number"
Jemimah Rodrigues has opened up about the overwhelming wave of calls, messages and social-media attention she received after her match-winning knock in the World Cup semi-final
- Jemimah Rodrigues opened up on the attention she received after her World Cup semi-final knock vs Australia
- The 25-year-old said she received nearly a thousand messages from unknown numbers
- 'I don't know how random people got my number. Till the finals, I didn't install WhatsApp,' she said
Jemimah Rodrigues has opened up about the overwhelming wave of calls, messages and social-media attention she received after her match-winning knock in the Women's World Cup semi-final and how it pushed her to uninstall WhatsApp just days before the final. The India batter said she was flooded with nearly a thousand messages from unknown numbers, leaving her unable to focus. With emotions already running high from the dramatic semi-final, Jemimah decided to disconnect completely to prepare for the biggest match of her career.
Recalling the chaotic night, Jemimah said her phone “kept buzzing and buzzing” after the semi-final, with congratulatory calls coming from every direction. "I don't know how random people started getting my number. I'm not even over-exaggerating, but I had 1000 WhatsApp messages. I couldn't take it because firstly, a lot had happened in that game. A lot of my emotions itself were there. I'm preparing for a final and the tournament is not over. Yes, I played a knock. Yes, we won. Yes, India was in the final. But, we still had a World Cup final to win," Jemimah told Cricbuzz.
Realising the distraction was too much, she uninstalled WhatsApp altogether. Before doing so, she informed only “4-5 close ones” to call or message her normally if needed. "Even if I was not reading the message, it was just buzzing. And I just knew that people were messaging me and I just wanted to prepare for the finals. So, till the finals, I didn't install WhatsApp." she said. Jemimah stayed off social media too, except for a single post-match update, and remained disconnected until after the World Cup final.
Once the tournament was over, she finally checked her accounts, only to find her entire feed filled with posts about her semi-final innings and India's title win. “I've never seen such a sight, even till now, just randomly scrolling Instagram and suddenly my video or something comes up. Or someone is talking about me" she said.
India Women