Historic Move by BCCI: Domestic Women Cricketers’ Match Fees More Than Double

New Delhi: In a landmark decision, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has more than doubled match fees for women playing domestic cricket, marking a significant step towards pay parity in Indian cricket. The move comes in the wake of India’s first Women’s ODI World Cup win and has received approval from the board’s top council.

New Match Fee Structure for Women Cricketers
Under the revised structure, senior women cricketers participating in domestic one-day and multi-day tournaments will now earn between ₹50,000 and ₹60,000 per match day—up from the previous ₹20,000 (₹10,000 for reserve players). In the national T20 tournaments, playing XI members will receive ₹25,000 per match, while reserves will get ₹12,500. According to BCCI officials, a female cricketer participating across all formats during a season can now earn between ₹12 lakh and ₹14 lakh.

Junior Women Cricketers Also Benefit
The board has also increased compensation for junior women cricketers. Under-23 and Under-19 players in the playing XI will earn ₹25,000 per match day, while reserves will get ₹12,500. Match officials, including umpires and referees, will also see a substantial rise in fees.

Umpires’ Fees Significantly Raised
For league matches in domestic tournaments, umpires and match referees will earn ₹40,000 per day. For knockout matches, daily fees will range from ₹50,000 to ₹60,000, depending on the match’s importance and operational requirements. Under this increase, umpires officiating in Ranji Trophy league matches will now earn around ₹1.6 lakh per match, while knockout matches will fetch between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh per match.

BCCI believes that this revised pay structure will provide greater financial security and motivation for women cricketers and domestic match officials, ultimately strengthening the overall domestic cricket ecosystem in India.