BCCI announces financial windfall for domestic tournaments, raises cash prize of Ranji Trophy and Sr Women winners

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah on Sunday, April 16, announced a significant increase in cash prizes for all domestic tournaments, including the Ranji Trophy and Sr Women's contests. The move aims to strengthen the backbone of the Indian cricket system.

The cricket board will now pay more than double the cash prize for Ranji Trophy winners, which has been raised from the existing Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore, while the runners-up will receive Rs 3 crore. The semifinalists will also go home with Rs 1 crore.

Similarly, the cash prize for the senior Women’s trophy has witnessed an unprecedented rise in both ODI and T20 trophies. The winners of the tournaments will receive a cash prize of Rs 50 lacs and Rs 40 lacs, respectively. The runners-up will also go home with Rs 25 lacs and 20 lacs, respectively.

In a tweet, Jay Shah wrote:

“I’m pleased to announce an increase in prize money for all Domestic Tournaments. We will continue our efforts to invest in Domestic Cricket – which is the backbone of Indian Cricket. Ranji winners to get ₹5 crores (from 2 cr), Sr Women winners ₹50 lacs (from 6 lacs).”

The cricket board has also announced a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh for the Irani Cup runner-up, which didn’t exist before.

The world’s richest cricket board further announced a significant rise for the winners and runners-up in the Irani Cup, Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Prof DB Deodhar Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

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When BCCI announced equal match fees for men's and women’s cricketers

Last year, the BCCI announced equal match fees for international women’s cricketers with their male counterparts. Women cricketers are being paid Rs 15 lakh, Rs 6 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh, respectively in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is since October. The development came after Roger Binny became BCCI President.

Taking to Twitter, Jay Shah wrote:

“I’m pleased to announce first step towards tackling discrimination. We are implementing pay equity policy for our contracted @BCCIWomen cricketers. The match fee for both Men and Women Cricketers will be same as we move into a new era of gender equality in Cricket.”

The cricket board also recently announced a cash prize of Rs 5 crore for U19 Women’s T20 World Cup champions India Women after they lifted the inaugural trophy under Shafali Verma’s captaincy in South Africa.