Historic Pay Increase for Women's Domestic Cricket in India
Significant Developments in Women's Cricket
This year has been monumental for women's cricket in India, and a new announcement has brought further positive news. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a crucial decision regarding the financial compensation for female players participating in domestic cricket, addressing long-standing economic disparities.
In November, India secured its first World Cup title by winning the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup on home soil. Following this achievement, the BCCI has decided to significantly increase the match fees for women cricketers in domestic competitions. Reports indicate that the daily match fee for senior women players has been raised from ₹20,000 to ₹50,000, more than doubling the previous amount.
Previously, players in the playing eleven of senior women's tournaments received ₹20,000 per day, while reserve players earned ₹10,000. The amounts were even lower for junior women's tournaments. On average, a senior woman player participating until the league stage would earn around ₹200,000 throughout the season.
With the new pay structure, players in the playing eleven of senior tournaments will now receive ₹50,000 daily, while reserve players will earn ₹25,000 per day. For T20 matches, the fees have been set at ₹25,000 and ₹12,500, respectively. Additionally, the fees for junior women's tournaments have also been increased to ₹25,000 for playing eleven and ₹12,500 for reserves. In junior T20 matches, the fees will be ₹12,500 and ₹6,250.
BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla commented on this decision, stating that the board has more than doubled the match fees for domestic women cricketers. He emphasized that this initiative aligns with the efforts of former BCCI Secretary and current ICC Chairman Jay Shah to promote pay equality between male and female players in international cricket.
Meanwhile, the board has expressed concerns regarding under-19 cricket. India faced a heavy defeat against Pakistan by 191 runs in the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup held in Dubai. Taking this seriously, the BCCI plans to review the team's performance.
According to Rajeev Shukla, following this loss, the board will conduct a brainstorming session to strengthen under-19 cricket. This review is particularly significant as the 2026 Under-19 World Cup is scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe and Namibia starting in January. The board will request reports from the team manager and engage in detailed discussions with the coaching staff. Additionally, concerns regarding player conduct during the final have been raised, which may lead to further actions.