In a seismic move, not just in cricket but in all women’s sports, the most powerful cricket board in the world, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah announced equal pay for all centrally contracted men and women Indian cricketers.
The topic of gender-equality pay has been an intensely contested debate over the last few years. And now the BCCI’s decision is being considered a landmark moment in women’s sport, a move which has been demanded by fans for a while – ever since New Zealand Cricket (NZC) did it first – and now the board has been praised by all.
The BCCI’s decision of equal pay among genders has been appreciated by all
Jay Shah took to Twitter to announce this news, saying that this is the first major step taken by the board “towards tackling discrimination” in genders in this “new era of gender equality”.
“I’m pleased to announce @BCCI’s first step towards tackling discrimination. We are implementing pay equity policy for our contracted @BCCIWomen cricketers. The match fee for both Men and Women Cricketers will be same as we move into a new era of gender equality in 🇮🇳 Cricket,” Jay Shah tweeted on Thursday.
According to the current system, Harmanpreet Kaur and all centrally contracted women’s cricketers will now earn match fees of INR15 lakh per Test, INR 6 lakh per ODI and INR 3 lakh per T20I, the same as Rohit Sharma and the men’s cricketers.
“The @BCCIWomen cricketers will be paid the same match fee as their male counterparts. Test (INR 15 lakhs), ODI (INR 6 lakhs), T20I (INR 3 lakhs). Pay equity was my commitment to our women cricketers and I thank the Apex Council for their support. Jai Hind,” Shah added.
The @BCCIWomen cricketers will be paid the same match fee as their male counterparts. Test (INR 15 lakhs), ODI (INR 6 lakhs), T20I (INR 3 lakhs). Pay equity was my commitment to our women cricketers and I thank the Apex Council for their support. Jai Hind 🇮🇳
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) October 27, 2022
The Indian women’s team recently won the Asia Cup, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. Earlier in the year, they had reached the final of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham but lost to Australia.
The BCCI has also approved the inaugural Women’s IPL which is likely to be played in March next year, and it will be a 5-team tournament.
