Writer: Tabish
Description: BCCI on Thursday announced equal match fees for both female and male center contract players to address gender discrimination.
Recently, the Indian women’s cricket team won the Bangladesh Asian Cup by beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets. The woman in blue became the first domestic silver medalist in cricket at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham earlier this year. BCCI’s most recent Annual General Meeting also announced the first women’s IPL, scheduled for 2023.
BCCI Honorary Secretary Jay Shah has implemented an “equal pay policy” for Indian female contract cricketers. The cost of a game for male and female cricketers is the same.
“I’m pleased to announce @BCCI’s 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,” Shah tweeted.
Under the newly introduced system, Indian cricketers will receive Rs 15 lakh for testing, Rs 6 lakh for ODI, and Rs 3 lakh for T20I, just like male players.
“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 added.
Former captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, Mitali Raj, also rejoiced on an important 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 BCCI for making this happen. Really happy today,” she wrote.
