Pay for women’s domestic cricketers in India has more than doubled

The BCCI has announced a significant increase in match fees for women’s domestic cricketers, marking a major step towards strengthening the women’s game in India. Players featuring in the playing XI of senior domestic competitions will now earn INR 50,000 per day, a sharp rise from the earlier INR 20,000. Those named as reserves will receive INR 25,000 per day. The decision was approved at the Apex Council meeting held on Monday in Mumbai.

At the age-group level, match fees have also been revised upward. Players in the first XI will now be paid INR 25,000 per day, while reserves will earn INR 12,500. Previously, age-group players received INR 10,000 per day if they were in the XI and INR 5,000 as reserves. Under the old structure, a full domestic season, including the final, earned players a little over INR 2 lakh. With the new rates, that figure is expected to rise to around INR 5 lakh.

These changes are part of the BCCI’s broader effort to raise the standard and appeal of domestic women’s cricket, especially after India’s historic maiden ODI World Cup triumph. There had been growing calls within the system to reassess match fees, with several state coaches and senior players pushing for better pay to help widen and sustain the talent pool—something the Women’s Premier League has already helped boost.

The increased focus on junior players reflects the rising interest in women’s cricket at the grassroots level, highlighted by India winning back-to-back Under-19 World Cups. While the BCCI had earlier brought parity in match fees for the men’s and women’s national teams in 2022, central contract amounts for women remain unchanged, with top-grade contracts still lower than the men’s lowest pay slab.