'Would you ask this to a man?' Preity Zinta calls out gender bias, hits back at trolls

Dubai: Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta took to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday to call out a troll who insinuated that Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell underperforms for the IPL franchise because she didn’t marry him.

Let's go back a few steps. It all began when a social media user named Notorious took a cheap shot at Zinta’s role as a team owner in the Indian Premier League. Referring to Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell, the user asked:
“Ma’am, Maxwell didn’t marry you, that’s why he didn’t play well for your team?”

The comment, laced with casual misogyny, attempted to trivialise Zinta’s role in the cricketing world by linking a player's performance to her personal life.

Zinta, however, didn’t let it slide.

Her response was sharp, dignified, and layered with insight:
“Would you ask this question to male team owners as well, or is this kind of discrimination reserved only for women?” she wrote.

That one rhetorical question captured the frustrating double standards women face across industries—especially in male-dominated spaces like professional sports.

Zinta went on to reflect candidly on her journey in the IPL:
“I never realised how tough it is for women to survive in corporate environments until I entered the world of cricket.”

While she acknowledged the comment may have been made in jest, she didn’t shy away from highlighting its damaging implications.
“I’m sure you meant this as a joke, but I hope you take a moment to really reflect on what you’re saying—because if you do, you’ll see it’s not funny, it’s offensive.”

The actress, who has been a co-owner of the Punjab Kings franchise for nearly two decades, underlined the hard work she’s put in to build her credibility in the field:
“I’ve worked extremely hard over the past 18 years and earned my place, so please show me the respect I deserve and stop perpetuating gender bias.”

She signed off with a polite yet firm: “Thank you.”