As Sri Lanka Cricket gives out central contracts to its women cricketers, let’s have a look at the other contractual teams in women’s cricket.
On Monday, Sri Lanka announced the list of its centrally contracted players. It offered central contracts to 20 national and 15 emerging women cricketers, with six and three-month contracts, respectively. The players were also given monthly allowance for supplements. The board did not disclose the amount that each categorized player will be paid but has laid out four categories in which the players are divided, namely A, B, C and D. While top profile players like Chamari Atapattu, Shashikala Siriwardene and Inoka Ranaweera are selected in Group A, the likes of Anushka Sanjeewani, Yasoda Mendis, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Nilakshi De Silva and Sugandika Kumari have made to the Group B.
With the rise of women’s cricket in the world, top cricket playing countries have been offering central contracts to their national and domestic female cricketers. In June, Pakistan announced the list of its centrally contracted women players. While the number of contracts were brought down to 10 from 17, the salaries were raised.
Earlier this year, England had announced central contracts for 21 female players, four of which were rookie contracts. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had also increased the remunerations. ECB has also decided to invest 50 million pounds in women’s cricket over the next 5 years. Cricket Australia, too, had announced the list of centrally contracted women cricketers for the season of 2019-20 which included 14 players. They (CA) also introduced 12 months paid maternity and adoption leave for its cricketers.
New Zealand saw the rise in the contracts from 15 to 79 across three levels with 15 players receiving central contracts. Recently, Amy Satterthwaite became the first female cricketer of the country to avail the benefits of core salary and a central contract while on maternity leave.
West Indies Cricket Board selected 15 women cricketers (a rise of 3) to appoint central contracts for the 2019-20 season. Few names were Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor etc. Cricket South Africa too, had handed out central contracts to 15 of its female players which included names such as Trisha Chetty, Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus, Dane van Niekerk, Laura Wolvaardt etc.
India had dished out central contracts to 20 of its players with Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Poonam Yadav making to Group A.
Full list of contracted women cricketers by Sri Lanka Cricket:
Group A: Chamari Atapattu, Shashikala Siriwardene, Inoka Ranaweera
Group B: Anushka Sanjeewani, Yasoda Mendis, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Nilakshi De Silva, Sugandika Kumari
Group C: Udeshika Prabodhani, Dilani Manodara, Hasini Perera, Ama Kanchana, Prasadini Weerakkody, Kavisha Dilhari, Harshitha Madavi
Group D: Imalka Mendis, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasooriya, Hansima Karunaratne, Madushika Meththananda
Emerging players list: Malsha Shehani, Sathya Sandeepani, Lihini Apsara, Tharika Sewwandi, Umesha Thimashini, Shashikala Silva, Jimanjalee Wijenayake, Harshani Wijeratne, Rose Perera, Saduni Nisansala, Eresha Shayamali, Shayani Oshadi, Tharuka Shehani, Nilkashana Sandmini and Janadi Analee
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