The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the implementation of a pay equity policy for contracted Indian women cricketers. The match fee for both Men and Women Cricketers will now be the same from the BCCI.
Sharing the news, BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah tweeted, “I’m pleased to announce @BCCI’s first step towards tackling discrimination. We are implementing pay equity policy for our contracted @BCCIWomen cricketers.”
I’m pleased to announce @BCCI’s first step towards tackling discrimination. We are implementing pay equity policy for our contracted @BCCIWomen cricketers. The match fee for both Men and Women Cricketers will be same as we move into a new era of gender equality in 🇮🇳 Cricket. pic.twitter.com/xJLn1hCAtl
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) October 27, 2022
As per the new policy, the women cricketers contracted by BCCI will be paid 15 lakhs rupees per Test match, 6 lakhs rupees per One Day International, and 3 lakhs per T20 International, in line with the payments made to the men’s cricket team for the international games. Mr. Shah added that it was his commitment to provide this pay equity to female cricketers and he has managed to achieve it.
The interest in women’s cricket has been growing in India during the past few years, especially after India reached the final of the 2017 World Cup on the back of a historic 171* by current skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. Since then, India has also reached the final of the T20 World Cup in 2020, made it to the final of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and won the recently concluded Asia Cup.
Adding this pay equity is not the only step that BCCI has taken to promote women’s cricket in India. Starting in 2023, there will be an IPL for women’s cricket as well, in line with the existing Indian Premier League for men’s cricket. The women’s Indian Premier League will have its inaugural edition in March 2023, ahead of the men’s IPL, and will consist of 5 teams.
The event is expected to give a boost to the women’s game in the country, similar to the one the men’s game received in terms of money and popularity after the event was launched in 2008.
