BCCI announces equal match fees for men and women cricketers

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has taken a historic decision on Thursday to promote gender equality in the country’s favorite sport.

BCCI Honorary Secretary Jay Shah has implemented a “Pay Equity Policy” for contracted Indian women cricketers.

Match fees will be same for both male and female cricketers.

Announcing the important decision on Twitter, Shah wrote, “I am delighted to announce BCCI’s first step towards tackling discrimination. We are implementing a pay equity policy for our contracted @BCCI women cricketers. There will be match fees for both male and female cricketers as we enter a new era of gender equality in cricket.”

He said that Indian women cricketers will be paid the same match fees as their male counterparts. Fees for test cricket match will be 15 lakhs for One Day International (ODI) matches 6 lakhs and for one T20 match 3 lakhs respectively.

“@BCCI women cricketers will be paid the same match fee as their male counterparts. Test (INR 15 Lakh), ODI (INR 6 Lakh), T20I (INR 3 Lakh). Salary equity was my commitment to our women cricketers and I thank the Apex Council for their support,” Shah wrote.

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh lauded BCCI’s decision regarding “pay equity policy” for cricketers.

The right-arm spin bowler wrote on Twitter, “BCCI sets a benchmark for other sporting bodies. This will encourage greater participation of women in the sport. Truly a historic milestone!”

Former India women’s national cricket team captain Mithali Raj also shared her happiness about the momentous day in Indian cricket history.

“This is a historic decision for women’s cricket in India! Pay equity policy with WIPL next year, we are ushering in a new era for women’s cricket in India. Thanks Jay Shah sir and

BCCI to do so. Really happy today,” she wrote.

Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur also lauded the BCCI for promoting gender equality in sports. “A red letter day indeed for women’s cricket in India with the announcement of pay parity for women and men,” Kaur wrote.

Recently, the Indian women’s cricket team won the Asia Cup in Bangladesh by defeating their Sri Lankan counterpart by 8 wickets. The women in blue won the country’s first silver medal in cricket at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham earlier this year.

In the BCCI’s last Annual General Meeting (AGM), it also announced the first ever Women’s IPL which is scheduled to take place in 2023.