New Delhi: The BCCI’s decision to make women cricketers’ match fees equal to those of men has been applauded by the community as predicted, but experts say it is only the first step toward achieving gender equality in the sport, and greater inclusivity will be gained when the first Women’s IPL begins in March.
The statistics confirm the explosive expansion of women’s cricket in India over the past five years, but there is still no comparison between central contracts for men and women. A male cricketer in the A category receives a contract worth Rs 5 crore, compared to Rs 50 for women.
It is a nice step and a positive step, but if one looks at the central contracts of men and women, we are still far from reaching gender parity. The former India bowler Amita Sharma, who competed for her nation in five Tests, 116 ODIs, and 41 T20s, expressed her confidence that the BCCI would investigate that in the future.