Renowned New Zealand commentator Danny Morrison faced the wrath of journalists after a verbal gaffe involving India’s WODI captain Mithali Raj. At the conclusion of the second match of the Women’s T20 Challenge, Morrison called Mithali ‘my dear’ during an interview, which has now come back to haunt him.

A harmless remark during the analysis of Mithali-led Velocity team's 9-wicket defeat against Mandhana’s Trailblazers, Morrison asked Mithali, “Tomorrow’s a day off, my dear, Mithali Raj... what are you going to do, what are Velocity going to do tomorrow?”  

In reply, Mithali laughed it off. “We’re going to recover from this defeat, definitely. I think it’s important that we regroup and I know that there’s not been much of a preparation also … two matches back-to-back. But having said that, no team gets bad in one night. And I guess just get the girls [to] cheer up, because definitely they would have felt a little sad after their batting today.”

WT20 Challenge 2020: Mithali Raj reacts after Velocity's nine-wicket loss to Trailblazers

Unfortunately for Morrison, a couple of journalists took offense to his remark.

Raf Nicholson, a writer for ESPNCricinfo and Wisden Cricket Monthly said, “Can’t believe this has to be said in 2020 but please DO NOT call female players “my dear” or tell them to “keep smiling” when you are interviewing them in the post-match.”  

Former cricketer and a famous columnist with WCM, Isabelle Westbury, found it inappropriate and said if male cricketers such as MS Dhoni are never called “my dear,” it made no sense for Morrison to say it to Mithali either.

“Don’t call international sportswomen “my dear” in interviews. You wouldn’t say it to a man. It shouldn’t need to be said” she said in a tweet.