The city sports fraternity, particularly women cricketers and female sportspersons from other disciplines, have welcomed the BCCI's decision of equal match fees for its centrally-contracted female and male players in a bid to promote gender equality in country's most popular sport.
As per the newly introduced system, the Indian women's cricketers will now receive Rs 15 lakh per Test, Rs 6 lakh per ODI, and Rs 3 lakh per T20I, the same as their male counterparts.
Earlier, the women players received Rs one lakh each for ODIs and T20Is while the match fee for a Test match was Rs 4 lakh.
Indian cricketer Mona Meshram has lauded the BCCI for this historic decision. Mona who has represented the country in 26 ODIs and 11 T20I told Lokmat Times, “BCCI has taken a good decision. Indian women cricketers are also giving positive results. They also deserve equal match fees. It will definitely give boost to women's cricket and will help them perform better.”
Asked whether it should be implemented in domestic cricket also Mona has a different opinion. “ It requires time to materialise things. I have no doubt that gradually BCCI will implement it in domestic cricket also. Let's wait.”
Former Vidarbha cricketer and current head coach of Rajasthan senior women team Priyanka Acharya said, “This move was long due. I believe men and women both play the same game with similar rules and under similar conditions. So this was the need to the hour. Great initiative by BCCI and Jay Shah. Its the beginning of new era where men and women are not just treated equally in words but in action too.”
Welcoming the BCCI decision former Vidarbha cricketer Shibika Francis said, "This is just the beginning. Lot is yet to be done for women's cricket in the country. This is one step towards women's empowerment. I think BCCI will take more such steps for the development of women's cricket. Women cricketers will also get equal facilities compared to their male counterparts.”
Not just the women cricketers but other sportspersons have also appreciated the decision and demanded it should be implemented in other sports too. Talented city shuttler Ritika Thaker said, “If BCCI can give equal match fees to women cricketers, why not other sports bodies? It will motivate the players to perform better.”