Taking a positive step toward achieving wage equality in global cricket, the England Women’s team will now be granted match fees equivalent to those of the male players, starting from the forthcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka.
This adjustment follows a suggestion from the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), urging the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to significantly restructure the payment system for women’s cricket in the nation.
The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) discovered that female cricketers earned only 20.6% of what their male counterparts were paid.
Heather Knight, the captain of the women’s team, shared her thoughts on this advancement:
“It’s really important that we continue to drive the women’s game forward and it’s fantastic to see equal match fees for England Women and England Men. The direction of travel for the women’s game has always been the most important thing, creating a sustainable product that people want to watch and play and I’m sure this will make cricket an increasingly attractive sport to girls and young women as we continue to grow the game.”
The ICEC established goals to achieve pay parity in domestic cricket by 2029 and in international matches by 2030. This action follows closely after the International Cricket Council (ICC) declared equal prize money for both men’s and women’s tournaments.
“We will continue to invest ahead of revenues” – CEO of the England and Wales Cricket Board
Richard Gould, CEO of the ECB, mentioned being motivated by the record-breaking attendance during the women’s Ashes this summer. As per ESPNcricinfo, sales surged by more than 200% compared to 2019.
Gould elaborated: “In the years ahead, we will continue to invest ahead of revenues. We are currently considering all the recommendations made by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket, but equalizing match fees is one immediate step we are pleased to make now.”
“As We all want cricket to be the team sport of choice for female athletes, and with the investments we are making – and increasingly lucrative opportunities around the world. We are seeing cricketers become some of the highest-earning female athletes in UK team sports. However, we know there is still much further to go as we ultimately strive for equality across the game.”
The initial T20I match against Sri Lanka women is scheduled to start at 10:30 pm IST on August 31 at the 1st Central County Ground Hove.
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