India’s centrally-contracted women cricketers will get the same match fees as their male counterparts in Internationals in accordance with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s new pay equity policy, secretary Jay Shah announced on Thursday.
The newly formed apex council passed the resolution unanimously at its first meeting, held via video conference. The BCCI will be the third Board after Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket to have equal pay structures for men and women.
This means the women — like the men — will earn Rs 15 lakh for a Test, 6 lakh for an ODI and 3 lakh for a T20I. This structure is significantly higher than the existing Rs 2.5 lakh for a Test and Rs 1 lakh for an ODI or T20I appearance.
While describing the move as “the first step towards tackling discrimination”, Shah thanked the apex council for its support in implementing the move, which he said was a “commitment to our women cricketers.”
BCCI president Roger Binny said it was a “significant step”. “This decision sets the platform to grow and develop cricket. I believe this is a significant step forward for women’s cricket and the game overall.”
Former captain Mithali Raj tweeted: “This is a historic decision for women’s cricket in India! The pay equity policy along with the WIPL next year, we are ushering into a new era for women’s cricket in India.”
India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur hailed the decision and said: “Truly a red letter day for women’s cricket in India with pay parity announced for women and men. I am sure a lot of women will now take up cricket as their career.”
However, the massive disparity in the central contract payments for the men and women cricketers remains.
Currently, the women in the highest Grade A bracket take home Rs 50 lakh, while Grade B and Grade C cricketers earn Rs 30 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, respectively. Their male counterparts are divided into four categories with Grade A-plus players taking home Rs 7 crore, and those in Grades A, B and C collecting Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore, respectively. It is learnt that the BCCI mandarins have been in talks with the women cricketers to bring about changes in the contract amounts as well.
The BCCI has been taking measures to improve the standard of the women’s game. The rise in its popularity has been mainly due to significant performances by the Indian team — qualifying for the semi-finals in 2018 T20 World Cup and the final of 2020 T20 World Cup. They recently bagged the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and sealed a 3-0 ODI series win in England in September.
The inaugural Women’s IPL will take place next year, which the BCCI formally announced at the annual general meeting earlier this month. Five teams will participate in the WIPL, the auction dates for which will be finalised shortly.
The BCCI’s proposed plan involves a total of 22 matches, with each squad comprising 18 players with a maximum of six from overseas.
“It will be a challenge to play the WIPL in the home and away format,” the BCCI said in its paper on the WIPL. It is suggested that the tournament can be played in caravan style, where after finishing 10 games at one venue, the next 10 will be played at the next venue.
“Therefore, ten matches each to be played across two venues in the 2023 WIPL season, ten each in the next two venues in the 2024 season, and for the 2025 season ten matches in the remaining one venue and the remaining ten in one of the venues from 2023 season.”
