The Hundred, England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) premier domestic cricket league, is set to commence on August 5, with the player draft having been completed on March 12. However, the upcoming season has been marred by a glaring issue – a staggering pay gap between male and female players.
The disparity has ballooned to a whopping £135,000 (INR 1,51,26,587) with the male players set to receive a 60% raise to £200,000, while female players will receive a rise to £65,000. Furthermore, the base salary for male players will be £31,000, whereas the lowest salary for female players will be £10,000.
The significant pay disparity drew criticism from several top players. Former England captain Heather Knight was among those who expressed her disappointment, stating that the Hundred’s gender pay gap “looks bad”. Fast bowler Kate Cross also weighed in, emphasizing her desire to see the gender pay disparity reduced rapidly.
However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) Chief Executive Daryl Mitchell has stated that achieving equal pay between men and women in The Hundred is a “realistic ambition.”
This optimism is fueled by the recent sale of stakes in The Hundred, agreed upon in February and are expected to generate around £520 million from private investors. These investments are likely to bring significant changes to the competition, including greater alignment with global leagues, more overseas players, and increased salaries.
Mitchell reflected that while there is still work to be done on commercializing women’s sports, he envisions a future where women’s cricket receives equal attention and compensation.
“Hopefully, we’ll be sat here in 10 years’ time with a commercial reality that it’s on an equal footing to men’s sport, it’s watched by similar numbers of people around the world and Sky pay the same amount they do for men’s cricket. I don’t see why that shouldn’t be the ambition. Equal pay is a realistic ambition, certainly, and it should be the ambition to make it that way,” he said.
The Hundred’s exciting new season kicks off in August with a thrilling double-header at Lord’s Cricket ground, featuring matches between London Spirit and Oval Invincibles’ men’s and women’s teams.
As the season begins, attention remains focused on the persistent pay gap between male and female players. The league stands at a crossroads, with a chance to redefine its financial model and set a precedent for equal pay in cricket.
Whether or not the promised changes materialize in the coming years remains to be seen, but the growing pressure from players and stakeholders suggests that the issue will not be ignored for long.
(Quote sourced from BBC Sport)
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