What began as a playful social media interaction has devolved into a case of severe online harassment for Indian influencer RJ Princy Parikh. Following India’s 76-run defeat to South Africa in their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 opener, Parikh has reported receiving graphic rape threats and being subjected to relentless body shaming over a video featuring South African batter David Miller. Broadcaster Ranks Tilak Varma Above David Miller on Power Hitting Skill, Faces Backlash from Fans.

The incident underscores the growing toxicity within digital fan spaces during major sporting events. Parikh, a well-known radio jockey and content creator with over 1.7 million followers, has expressed her distress over the situation, stating that she feels like "disappearing" due to the nature of the abuse.

The Viral Video and Subsequent Backlash

The controversy originated from a short "reel" Parikh posted after South Africa’s victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In the clip, she was seen encircling Miller, who scored a match-winning 63, with the caption: "David Miller! What a player," and on-screen text reading: "I thought we were friends, David."

While intended as a humorous take on the betrayal felt by an Indian fan after Miller’s decisive performance, the video was met with immediate hostility. While some users criticized the content as "cringe," a significant portion of the reaction escalated into targeted personal attacks.

Here's RJ Princy Parikh's Viral Video With David Miller

 

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A post shared by RJ Princy Parikh (@princyparriikh)

Reports of Serious Threats

Taking to her Instagram stories on Tuesday, 24 February, Parikh informed her followers that she had been forced to delete the video from Facebook to escape the influx of disturbing messages.

"Deleted my reel with David Miller from Facebook because I absolutely couldn't bear so many graphic and disturbing rape threats and hundreds of comments body shaming me," she wrote. The influencer shared screenshots of the abusive messages to illustrate the severity of the harassment she was facing.

RJ Princy Parikh's Instagram Story

Source: Instagram

Legal Action and Digital Accountability

In response to the threats, Parikh has announced her intention to file a formal police complaint. She also stated that she plans to publicly list the usernames of those who sent the most abusive messages, suggesting that their employers should be made aware of their conduct. Team India Funny Memes Go Viral After Men in Blue Suffer One-Side Loss Against South Africa in IND vs SA T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Match.

"I am going to file a police complaint on all of these people and others that I have blocked," she stated. "Nobody deserves this."

RJ Princy Parikh's Another Instagram Story

Source: Instagram

The episode has reignited discussions regarding the safety of women on social media and the role of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in managing the integration of influencers into tournament coverage. While influencer collaborations bring a new audience to cricket, they often lack the protective measures necessary to handle the volatile nature of high-stakes sports fandom.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 25, 2026 11:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).