In a historic decision, which promises to redefine the landscape of women’s cricket in India Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a huge increase in match fees for domestic women cricketers. The historic move, approved during the Apex Council meeting on December 22, 2024, will more than double match fees across all categories, marking an important step towards achieving pay parity and professionalizing the game for women at the grassroots level.
Coming on the heels of India’s glorious maiden Women’s ODI World Cup Launching in November 2024, this initiative reinforces BCCI’s commitment to foster a strong and rewarding ecosystem for its women athletes. This is a clear indication that the Board is ready to back up its words with solid financial incentives, making cricket a more viable and attractive career for aspiring women cricketers across the country.
Double blow to dreams: New salary structure for India’s women cricketers
The revised fee structure is nothing short of revolutionary, especially for senior players, whose daily match fees have effectively been increased by 2.5 times. This dramatic growth aims to close the financial gap that has historically existed between men’s and women’s domestic cricket, providing unprecedented financial security and recognition.
| Social class | Role | old fee (per day) | New Fee (Per Day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Ladies (One Day/Multi Day) | playing eleven | ₹20,000 | ₹50,000 |
| Senior Ladies (One Day/Multi Day) | store | ₹10,000 | ₹25,000 |
| Senior Women (T20) | playing eleven | ₹10,000 | ₹25,000 |
| Senior Women (T20) | store | ₹5,000 | ₹12,500 |
| Junior Women (Under-23 & Under-19) | playing eleven | ₹10,000 | ₹25,000 |
| Junior Women (Under-23 & Under-19) | store | ₹5,000 | ₹12,500 |
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A pay increase that strengthens the entire women’s cricket ecosystem
- Annual Earnings: Under the previous structure, a senior domestic player would earn around ₹2 lakh per season. With this increase, a top domestic player playing across all formats can now earn between ₹12 lakh to ₹14 lakh annually.
- Pay Parity: The new daily fee of ₹50,000 matches the rate for many domestic male cricketers (especially those who have played 21 to 40 Ranji Trophy games).
- Match Official: The hike isn’t just for players; The fees of umpires and match referees will also increase by ₹40,000 to ₹60,000 per day depending on the match stage.
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This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.