The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has taken an important step for women’s cricket by giving its men’s and women’s players the same annual retainer amounts. It is the first state governing body to introduce annual retainers for both groups. A total of 22 players, including eight women, will receive contracts under the new plan. The scheme is meant for players who are not centrally contracted by the BCCI or part of its targeted group. The payment will be the same for men and women in each grade.
The MCA has fixed INR 12 lakh for Grade A, INR 8 lakh for Grade B and INR 6 lakh for Grade C. These amounts will be paid equally to male and female players in the same grade. For women cricketers, this can offer useful financial support as they continue playing domestic cricket and building their careers. The decision comes more than seven years after Sourav Ganguly spoke about player payments as one of his biggest priorities after becoming BCCI president. Although Ganguly is no longer in office, better support for domestic players remains important.
The women’s list has eight names, with Humaira Kazi and Vrushali Bhagat placed in Grade A. They will receive INR 12 lakh each under the new system. Sanika Chalke is the only woman in Grade B and will receive INR 8 lakh. Five other women have been placed in Grade C, including left-arm seamer Fatima Jaffer, and they will receive INR 6 lakh each. The players will also get match fees, daily allowances and performance-based incentives along with their annual retainers.
For women’s cricket, this decision matters because it gives domestic players a clear and equal payment structure. Players who are outside the BCCI’s central contract system can now receive yearly financial support from their state association. The MCA has not set a lower retainer for women players. The eight women selected for these contracts will receive the same grade-based payment as male players. This gives their work in Mumbai cricket clear financial value and sends a strong message about equal treatment.
The MCA has also created a scholarship fund in honour of Ajinkya Rahane following his retirement earlier this year. The fund recognises his contribution to Mumbai and Indian cricket and will support grassroots cricketers. The MCA said that former president Sharad Pawar has also contributed to the fund. The scholarship is meant to help players at the early stages of their cricket journey. While the fund is not specifically for women, support at the grassroots level can also help create more chances for young girls and boys to enter cricket.
The association has taken other steps to support players in recent years. In 2024-25, the MCA gave its senior men’s team a 100% pay increase, which doubled the total amount a player earned during a domestic season. Former players have also called for more focus on domestic cricket. This discussion grew after the BCCI introduced a Test incentive scheme for its centrally contracted men’s players who prioritise red-ball cricket. Under that scheme, a player’s match fees could increase by 300% if he plays more than 75% of Tests in a season.
The latest MCA decision puts women’s cricket at the centre of its player support plan. Humaira Kazi and Vrushali Bhagat will receive INR 12 lakh in Grade A, Sanika Chalke will get INR 8 lakh in Grade B, and the five Grade C players, including Fatima Jaffer, will receive INR 6 lakh. These women will also have access to match fees, daily allowances and performance-based incentives. The equal retainers give Mumbai’s women cricketers stronger financial backing as they continue their domestic careers. More importantly, the move gives women players the same value as men at every contract grade and sets an important example for state cricket and may encourage such steps in future.
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