BCCI announces equal match fee for men and women cricketers; Here’s how much they will get

BCCI announces the implementation of a pay equity policy for contracted Indian women cricketers. The match fee for both Men and Women Cricketers will be the same.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has taken a historic decision on Thursday to promote gender equality in the nation's most-loved game.

BCCI Honorary Secretary Jay Shah has implemented "pay equity policy" for contracted Indian women cricketers.

The match fee for both Men and Women Cricketers will be the same.

Announcing the significant decision on Twitter, Shah wrote, "I’m pleased to announce @BCCI’s the first step towards tackling discrimination. We are implementing a pay equity policy for our contracted @BCCIWomen cricketers. The match fee for both Men and Women Cricketers will be the same as we move into a new era of gender equality in Cricket".

He added that Indian women cricketers will be paid the same match fee as their male counterparts. For test cricket match, the fee will be ₹15 lakh, for One Day International (ODI) match ₹6 lakh and for a T20 match ₹3 lakh, respectively.

"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," Shah wrote.

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh hailed BCCI's decision, regarding "pay equity policy" for cricketers.

"BCCI has set a standard for other sports bodies. It will encourage greater participation of women in the game. A historic milestone indeed!," the legendary right-arm spin bowler wrote on Twitter.

Mithali Raj, former captain of the India women's national cricket team also shared her happiness regarding momentous day in Indian cricket history.

"This is a historic decision for women’s cricket in India! The pay equity policy along with the WIPL next year, we are ushering into a new era for women's cricket in India. Thank you Jay Shah Sir and the

BCCI for making this happen. Really happy today," she wrote.

Indian Women Cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur also lauded BCCI for espousing gender equality in sports. Kaur wrote, "Truly a red letter day for Women’s Cricket in India with pay parity announced for women and men".

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

In the last Annual General Meeting (AGM) of BCCI, it also announced the first-ever women's IPL that is scheduled to take place in 2023.