Equal pay is a step in the right direction, but women’s IPL promises more inclusivity | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: The BCCI’s decision to bring women’s cricketers’ match fees at par with men’s has been widely praised by the fraternity, but experts say it is just one step towards making the sport gender-equal and more inclusive. will be achieved when the first Women’s IPL gets underway in March.
The match fees will rise drastically with an ODI fetching Rs 6 lakh, six times the existing structure.
Playing a Test match will give the women cricketers Rs 15 lakh, which is almost four times more than the previous four lakh.

The numbers support the rapid growth of women’s cricket in India in the last five years, but if one looks at the men’s and women’s central contracts, there is still no comparison.
A male cricketer in the A category gets a contract of Rs 5 crore while it is Rs 50 lakh for women.
“It’s a welcome step, it’s a positive step, but we’re still a long way from achieving gender parity if you look at the men’s and women’s central contracts. I’m sure the BCCI will look at that in the future, ” said former India. pace setter Amita Sharma who represented the country in five Tests, 116 ODIs and 41 T20s.

While only the cream of women’s cricket will be rewarded with a massive hike in match fees, former players and captains see the upcoming Women’s IPL as the game changer.
“I congratulate the BCCI for making the women’s match fee at par with men. The Women’s IPL is also coming soon and it will have a positive impact on a much larger number of our women cricketers, including the domestic cricketers. This can be life-changing for many people. unlimited players. But we have to take one step at a time,” the former Indian captain Diana Edulji said.
“Having said that, the players will be expected to improve their performance even further. The expectations will naturally increase,” she added.
The first WIP edition will have at least five teams with a squad size of 18 each, including 12 Indians and six foreigners, taking the number of local players to a substantial 60.
The BCCI is yet to announce the minimum base price, but a player is expected to earn at least Rs 5 lakh for a season. This may sound like nothing compared to the astronomical numbers seen in the IPL, but the fact that the female domestic cricketers earn between Rs 10000-20000 per match, the additional income will make a huge difference.
“Domestic players will benefit a lot from the Women’s IPL. The ultimate success of any initiative is when the pie is spread among a wide group as opposed to a few.
“The Women’s IPL will be a game changer and I am sure the BCCI will also look at other areas. Who would have thought five years ago that we would have a match fee and there would be a Women’s IPL,” said another former captain said Shantha Rangaswamy.
The runners-up finish at the 2017 World Cup was the breakout moment for women’s cricket, which has made giant strides since then.
“This is truly a historic decision by the BCCI and they should be congratulated for this. I would say this is the best thing to happen to women’s cricket in India for a long time. I am sure it will revolutionize women’s cricket in India,” said ex-skipper Mithali Raj.
“Our performance in the 2017 World Cup played a big role. So did many of our bilateral series against top cricketing nations. This is a recognition of their efforts. “I am sure it will not only benefit the current cricketers not, but many youngsters will also take up cricket as their career. Women’s cricket is changing fast in India.”
Mithali also felt that the decision will increase the pool of players and boost women’s cricket at the grassroots level.
Former Indian player and chief selector Hemlata Kalawho played both in the pre and post BCCI era, believes the women’s game should not be compared to men’s cricket.
“When we didn’t have BCCI recognition, we didn’t even have a match fee. We played for the love of the game and that helped the sport survive. We’ve come a long way from there.
“We have seen so much growth in women’s cricket in the last five years. If the team continues to make progress, maybe our game will even match the popularity enjoyed by men’s cricket. It cannot happen overnight, so we have to be patient.” said Kala.



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