Quick Answer
Women's cricket has made enormous strides since 2014, but a significant pay gap remains in most countries. England's ECB and Cricket Australia are furthest ahead. The BCCI introduced the Women's Premier League in 2023 — a landmark step — but Indian women's central contracts remain far below the men's equivalent. The gap is closing, but not fast enough.
Where We Started: The Pre-Professional Era
Until 2014, women's international cricket was almost entirely unprofessional in financial terms. Players in most countries received match fees for international appearances but no central contracts — meaning they needed full-time employment outside cricket to survive financially.
England's Rachel Heyhoe Flint — who captained England to the first Women's World Cup in 1973 — noted that most of her England teammates held full-time jobs throughout their international careers. The same was true in Australia, India, and virtually everywhere else.
Key Milestones on the Road to Professionalism
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2014 | ECB and Cricket Australia sign first women's central contracts |
| 2016 | BCCI signs first central contracts for India women's players |
| 2017 | Cricket Australia links women's pay rises to revenue growth (MOU) |
| 2021 | The Hundred launches with equal prize money for men's and women's |
| 2023 | Women's Premier League (WPL) launched in India — first women's IPL-style league |
| 2024 | WPL player auction prices exceed ₹2 crore for the first time |
Tackling cricket's gender pay gap - BBC News
Where We Are Now: Country by Country
England (ECB)
England has the most equal structure in world cricket. The ECB central contract system now includes women's contracts that are acknowledged to be lower than men's equivalents but narrowing year on year. The Hundred in 2021, with equal prize money for men's and women's competitions, was a landmark. Several England women's players now earn over £150,000 annually between contract and team fees.
Australia (Cricket Australia)
Cricket Australia signed a landmark MOU with the Australian Cricketers' Association in 2017 that explicitly linked women's pay rises to the growth of cricket revenue — meaning women's players benefit directly when Cricket Australia earns more. WBBL contracts and international appearances combine to make Australian women's cricket among the best-paid in the world.
India (BCCI)
India lags furthest behind of the major nations, though the gap is narrowing. The BCCI introduced women's central contracts in 2016 with four contract tiers. However, the maximum women's contract value remains a fraction of the equivalent men's contract. The launch of the Women's Premier League (WPL) in 2023 was the most significant structural investment in Indian women's cricket ever made. WPL auction prices for players reached ₹2 crore ($240,000) for the first time in 2023. (Source: ESPNcricinfo – WPL)
West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
These nations lag significantly. Central contracts for women players exist in theory in most countries, but contract values are small and supporting infrastructure — coaching, facilities, competitive domestic cricket — remains underdeveloped compared to England, Australia, and India.
The WPL: Cricket's Most Important Step for Women's Pay
The Women's Premier League, launched in 2023, changed the conversation about women's cricket pay more significantly than any previous development. For the first time, a franchise T20 league created a genuine market for women's cricketers — teams competing to sign them at auction, with prices driven by talent rather than tradition.
The 2023 WPL saw combined franchise fees of $572 million paid to the BCCI — more than five times the revenue generated by the women's Big Bash in Australia at the time. The model demonstrates what is possible when investment follows the audience.
What Still Needs to Change
The BCCI Men's vs Women's Contract Gap
India's best women cricketers earn a fraction of what India's men's players earn in central contracts alone — before IPL income is factored in. This gap is not simply about women's cricket revenue; it also reflects historic institutional priorities.
Smaller Nations
The West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and most associate nations still do not provide women's players with the infrastructure and financial support that enables full-time professional careers.
ICC Redistribution
The ICC revenue distribution to member boards strongly favours the BCCI, Cricket Australia, and the ECB. If women's cricket development requires investment from boards that receive smaller ICC shares, the structural inequality is built into the global governance system itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do women cricketers get paid the same as men?
No — in no country do women cricketers receive the same pay as their male equivalents. The gap has narrowed significantly since 2014 in England and Australia, and the WPL has significantly raised earning potential for top Indian women's players.
Which country pays women cricketers the most?
England and Australia are consistently cited as the best-paying nations for women's cricket. The WPL has raised individual earning potential for leading players in India significantly, though Indian central contracts remain below the England and Australia equivalents.
What is the Women's Premier League?
The Women's Premier League (WPL) is India's franchise T20 league for women, launched in 2023. Modelled on the IPL, it features five franchises. The WPL has dramatically raised the financial prospects and visibility of women's cricket in India.
When did women's cricket become professional?
Women's cricket began transitioning to fully professional contracts from 2014, when Cricket Australia and the ECB both introduced women's central contracts. The BCCI followed in 2016. The WPL (2023) marked the beginning of franchise-model women's professional cricket in India.
