Okay, firstly, name five Indian women cricketers you know about. While you answer that, let’s talk about the pay disparity between male and female cricketers in India.
We already know the whopping amount male Indian cricketers are paid by the BCCI. Today we tried to find out how much the Indian Women’s Cricket Team is paid.
BBCI divides the players into three categories A, B, and C. While A category male player gets Rs 5 crore every year, and a female player in the same category gets only Rs 50 lakh.
1. Richa Ghosh
The right-handed batswoman, Richa Ghosh, comes under the Grade C category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually. The wicket-keeper of the team is best known for her performances at World Cups.
2. Smriti Mandhana
The Arjuna award winner, Smriti Mandhana, comes under the Grade A category and is paid Rs 50 lakh annually. In June 2018, BCCI named her the Best Women’s International Cricketer.
3. Harmanpreet Kaur
The all-rounder of the Indian women’s cricket team, Harmanpreet Kaur, comes under the Grade A category and is paid Rs 50 lakh annually. She also serves as the captain for the Indian team in T20Is.
4. Poonam Yadav
The Indian leg-spinner Poonam Yadav won our hearts with her brilliant performance in the Women’s T20 World Cup. The Arjuna award winner comes under the Grade A category and is paid Rs 50 lakh annually.
5. Deepti Sharma
The left-handed batswoman, Deepti Sharma, comes under the Grade B category and is paid Rs 30 lakh annually. She was also an Arjuna award winner in 2020.
6. Jhulan Goswami
The legendary cricketer Jhulan Goswami is an all-rounder and one of the best fast bowlers in international cricket. The right-arm fast bowler comes under the Grade B category and is paid Rs 30 lakh annually.
7. Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Did you know? Cricket was not the first choice of the star bowler of the team. She was inspired by her late father, who also motivated her to up sports professionally. Rajeshwari comes under the Grade C category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually.
8. Mithali Raj
The test and ODI captain of India women’s national cricket team, Mithali Raj comes under the Grade A category and is paid Rs 50 lakh annually. She also holds endorsements with brands like Allen Solley, American Tourister, NextGen Fitness Studio, and Royal Challenge.
9. Taniya Bhatia
Taniya is primarily known as the wicket-keeper of the team. In 2018, the International Cricket Council named her one of the five breakout stars in women’s cricket. She comes under the Grade C category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually.
10. Shafali Verma
Shafali Verma is among the youngest Indian cricketers ever to score a half-century in international cricket. Sadly, she had to disguise herself as a boy to train herself in an academy. She comes under the Grade A category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually.
11. Pooja Vastrakar
The right-handed batter, Pooja Vastrakar, has come a long way in her journey to be a part of the Indian women’s cricket team. She comes under the Grade C category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually.
12. Yastika Bhatia
The left-handed batter, Yastika Bhatia, is the newcomer to the Indian women’s cricket team. She comes under the Grade C category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually.
13. Meghna Singh
The right-arm medium pacer is the new member of the Indian women squad. She is known for her distinctive quality to swing the ball outside. Meghna comes under the Grade C category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually.
14. Sneh Rana
A bowling all-rounder, Sneh Rana, comes under the Grade B category and is paid Rs 30 lakh annually. She made her Women’s Twenty20 International debut against Sri Lanka in 2014.
15. Renuka Singh
The right-arm pacer hails from Himachal Pradesh and is also the new member of the Indian women team. Her control over the line and length in bowling played a key role in her selection. Renuka comes under the Grade C category and is paid Rs 10 lakh annually.
16. Ekta Bisht
The street smart left-arm spinner, Ekta Bisht is known for her destructive bowling figures. She was the first cricketer for India to take a hat-trick in a Women’s Twenty20 International match. Ekta comes under the Grade B category and is paid Rs 30 lakh annually.
17. Simran Dil Bahadur
The dashing all-rounder of the Indian women’s squad holds an impressive cricket journey. She is one of the stand-by players for India’s 2022 Women’s World Cup Squad.
Indeed, our women cricketers are talented and deserve so much more love!
Read: 10 Brilliant Performances By Women In Cricket That Changed The Face Of The Sport In India.