ICC Announces Equal Prize Money for Men’s and Women’s Teams at ICC Events
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made a groundbreaking decision to offer equal prize money for men’s and women’s teams at ICC events. The announcement was made during the ICC Annual Conference in South Africa, where the ICC Board fulfilled its commitment to achieving prize money equity by 2030 ahead of schedule.
Under the new guidelines, teams will receive the same prize money for their finishing position at comparable events, as well as an equal amount for winning a match. This means that champions and runners-up of both men’s and women’s teams in global events will be awarded the same prize money, starting from the next cycle.
ICC Chair Greg Barclay expressed his delight at the decision, calling it a significant moment for the sport. He stated, Since 2017, we have increased prize money at women’s events every year with a clear focus on reaching equal prize money. Winning the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup will now carry the same prize money as winning the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and the same applies to the T20 World Cups and U19s too.
This step towards gender equality in cricket is a testament to the sport’s commitment to inclusivity. Barclay emphasized that cricket is a sport for all, and this decision reinforces that belief, valuing and celebrating every player’s contribution equally.
In addition to equal prize money, the ICC Board also confirmed the largest-ever investment into the sport. The distribution model for the next four years includes enhanced funding for every ICC Member, with a strategic investment fund dedicated to driving global growth initiatives aligned with the ICC Global Growth Strategy.
The increase in prize money is another positive development for women’s cricket. The champions and runners-up of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020 and 2023 will receive USD 1 million and USD 500,000, respectively, representing a substantial fivefold increase over the previous amounts awarded in 2018. Moreover, the prize money for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 has been raised to USD 3.5 million, up from USD 2 million for winning the 2017 edition held in England.
Apart from addressing prize money equity, the ICC also implemented changes to the over-rate sanctions in Test cricket. The new rules, which will be effective from the start of the current World Test Championship cycle, include fines of 5 percent of players’ match fee for each over that falls short, with a maximum penalty of 50 percent. Notably, if a team is bowled out before reaching the 80-over mark and the new ball has not yet been delivered, no over-rate penalty will be enforced.
The ICC Men’s Cricket Committee endorsed these changes to strike the right balance between preserving over-rates and offering fair compensation to players. Sourav Ganguly, the committee’s representative, stated, We want to ensure that the trend of limited draws in Test cricket continues while giving fans the best value for money and maintaining over-rates. The players should not have 100 percent of their match fee at risk, striking a balance between encouraging players to participate in Test cricket and penalizing slow over-rates.
In conclusion, the ICC’s decision to offer equal prize money for men’s and women’s teams at ICC events is a milestone achievement for the sport. It not only promotes gender equality but also acknowledges and values the contributions of all cricketers. With increased funding and strategic investments, cricket aims to foster global growth initiatives, ensuring a bright future for the sport. The reforms in over-rate sanctions demonstrate the ICC’s commitment to maintaining the excitement and competitiveness of Test cricket while adequately compensating players. These developments set the stage for a more inclusive and prosperous era of cricket worldwide.
