ICC Announces Record Prize Money for Women's Cricket World Cup

Dubai, Sep 1 (PTI) The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the prize money for the upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup will see an unprecedented increase, marking the largest-ever in the tournament's history. The champions will now receive a whopping USD 4.48 million (Rs 39.55 crore), a significant jump from the USD 1.32 million (Rs 11.65 crore) awarded in the previous edition. This announcement follows the governing body's commitment to advancing women's cricket, with India and Sri Lanka set to host the 13th edition of this global spectacle starting September 30.

The entire prize purse for this eight-team showdown totals a staggering USD 13.88 million (Rs 122.5 crore approx), representing nearly a three-fold increment from the last event's prize pool. This not only eclipses the USD 3.5 million (Rs 31 crore approx) pool from New Zealand 2022 but also surpasses the USD 10 million (Rs 88.26 crore approx) allocated for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

The ICC's statement highlights a seismic shift towards gender parity in the sport. Runners-up can now expect to earn USD 2.24 million (Rs 19.77 crore approx), while losing semi-finalists will receive USD 1.12 million (Rs 9.89 crore approx) each—both remarkable increases from previous payouts. Victories in the group stage are not without rewards either; each win nets USD 34,314 (Rs 30.29 lakhs). Teams finishing fifth and sixth will garner USD 700,000 (Rs 62 lakh approx) each, and those ending seventh and eighth will collect USD 280,000 (Rs 24.71 lakh approx). Meanwhile, every participating nation will secure USD 250,000 (Rs 22 lakh approx).

The ICC articulated that this financial uplift aims to boost the appeal of women's cricket and level the playing field with their male counterparts. The jump in prize money aligns with ICC's strategy to develop the women's game further, setting the stage for pay parity, a measure already introduced for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024.

The event, which will take place across five venues in India and Sri Lanka—Guwahati, Indore, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Colombo—will see winners pocket USD 4.48 million, up by a staggering 239 percent from Australia's haul three years ago. It's noteworthy that the winners of the last Men's World Cup were awarded USD 4 million (Rs 35.31 crore approx).

ICC Chairman Jay Shah termed this development a "defining milestone" for women's cricket, articulating a clear trajectory for its long-term growth. Shah emphasized the need for equal treatment of women cricketers, expressing the ICC's unwavering commitment to ensuring women choosing cricket professionally are valued on par with men.

The statement from ICC expresses a powerful ambition to stage a world-class Women's Cricket World Cup and inspire future generations of players and supporters. With women's cricket on a significant upward swing, the ICC calls on fans, media, partners, and Member Boards to support and elevate the women's game to the respect and recognition it justly deserves.

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