The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has brought good news to domestic women cricketers by declaring a remarkable rise in match fees. In a historic decision that cuts across gender lines, female players at the domestic level will receive match fees equal to those of their male co-players. The updated scale is almost 2.5 times higher than the old ones.

The decision was taken during the Apex Council meeting held virtually on Monday (December 22), marking a major step toward strengthening women’s cricket in India.

New Match Fee Structure for Senior Women Cricketers

Under the revised system:

• ODIs & multi-day tournaments:
  • The Playing XI are now going to receive a daily wage of ₹50,000 which is a significant increase compared to the previous 20,000.
  • The Non-playing squad members will receive 25,000 per match which is twice the the previous amount of 12,500.
• T20 matches:
  • The authorized figure of ₹25,000 is being given to a player as his daily income for playing XI (earlier ₹10,000).
  • Reserve participants would be getting ₹12,500.

Earlier, a senior domestic woman cricketer playing league matches across formats earned around ₹3 lakh in total. With the revised fees, earnings are set to rise substantially.

Big Boost for Junior Women Cricketers

BCCI has also approved a bumper hike for junior women cricketers:

• ODIs & multi-day tournaments:
  • Playing XI members will earn ₹25,000 per day (earlier ₹10,000).
  • Reserve players will receive ₹12,500.
• T20 matches:
  • Playing XI members will get ₹12,500.
  • Reserve players will earn ₹6,250.

Increased Fees for Officials Too

The pay hike is not limited to players alone. According to reports, umpires and match referees will also benefit:

• League matches: Around ₹40,000 per day
• Knockout matches: Between ₹50,000 and ₹60,000 per day

The BCCI’s daring action has been welcomed with huge approval already been an ushering in of a new era in women’s domestic cricket which is marked by the players and officials receiving more financial security and better recognition.