In a landmark move for gender equity in Indian cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has substantially hiked match fees for women’s domestic cricketers, bringing payments virtually at par with their male counterparts.
Approved by the BCCI’s Apex Council during a virtual meeting on Monday evening (December 22), the revised structure sees playing XI members in senior one-day and multi-day games earn INR 50,000 per day, while non-playing members receive INR 25,000. For T20s, it’s INR 25,000 for the playing XI and INR 12,500 for reserves, more than doubling the previous rates of INR 20,000 and INR 10,000, respectively, for seniors.
This boost comes at an opportune time, riding the wave of India’s historic triumph in the 13th edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup. Led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur under head coach Amol Muzumdar, India clinched their maiden senior-level ICC title by defeating South Africa, captained by Laura Wolvaardt, by 52 runs in the final at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on November 2, 2025. The tournament, hosted across India and partly in Sri Lanka from September 30, marked Kaur as the first Indian captain to lift an ICC trophy at home. In a poignant moment, former skipper Mithali Raj, part of the broadcasting team, received the trophy from Kaur, joined by legends Jhulan Goswami and Anjum Chopra. Tears flowed as they lifted it, honouring the pioneers who built the foundation for this breakthrough victory.
The pay revision addresses long-standing calls from players like India’s opening batter Shafali Verma, who had vocally advocated for better domestic compensation. A BCCI note highlights the impact: “On an average, a senior woman cricketer receives around INR 2 lakh for a season if the team only plays the league stages of senior tournaments.”
With the new fees, seasonal earnings will surge substantially, fueling motivation as India, still under Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership, hosts Sri Lanka, captained by Chamari Athapaththu, in a five-match T20I series from December 21 to 30. India already leads 1-0 after an 8-wicket win in the opener, building momentum toward the 10th ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, 2026.
The upcoming 4th edition of the WPL will get underway from 9th January 2026 to 5th February 2026. The first phase of the tournament will be played at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, and the 2nd phase of the tournament will be played at the Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara.
Junior cricketers benefit too, with playing XI fees now at INR 25,000 per day for one-day and multi-day games (INR 12,500 for reserves), and INR 12,500 for T20 playing members (INR 6,250 for non-players). This holistic uplift not only rewards current talent but also invests in the pipeline, ensuring women’s cricket in India sustains its upward trajectory post-World Cup glory.
(Quotes sourced from Cricbuzz).
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.