The Board of Control for Cricket in India is all set to award a whopping Rs 125 crore to the Indian women’s cricket team if they manage to win their maiden ICC trophy on Sunday, November 2, when they take on South Africa in the Women’s ODI World Cup final, according to a report in PTI.
As per the report, the BCCI plans to award the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team a cash prize equal to that of the men’s side if they lift the trophy in Navi Mumbai,
a move that would mark a landmark step toward gender parity in Indian cricket.According to the report, the BCCI, which had earlier implemented equal pay for match fees across men’s and women’s cricket, is now considering applying the same principle to performance-based rewards.
“The BCCI supports equal pay
for men and women and hence there are discussions that if our girls win the World Cup, the reward would not be anything less compared to the men’s global triumph,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.
In 2024, after Rohit Sharma’s side won the T20 World Cup in the Americas, the BCCI announced a huge Rs 125 crore bonus for the entire contingent, including cricketers and support staff.
Extending a similar reward to the women’s side, should they win, would mark an unprecedented acknowledgement of their success and contribution to Indian cricket.
The development underscores how far the women’s game has come since 2017, when India lost the World Cup final at Lord’s to England by nine runs. Despite the heartbreak, each cricketer received Rs 50 lakh, with the coaching and support staff recognised for their contributions as well.
Eight years on, both the stakes and the rewards have risen. If India’s women go one step further this time, each cricketer could see their prize money increase tenfold, a powerful statement of equality and respect in the sport.
