In a significant demonstration of financial support, England has equalized the match fees for women's international cricket with those of their male counterparts.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) made the announcement on Wednesday, implementing immediate parity in match fees. As a result, female players will now receive approximately £12,500 for each Test match, £5,000 for one-day internationals, and £3,500 for T20 internationals. This change takes effect starting with Thursday's women's T20 match against Sri Lanka at Hove.
This decision follows the success of the women's Ashes, which attracted a crowd of 110,000 fans. It also aligns with one of the recommendations from the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket, released earlier this summer, which highlighted the prevalence of discrimination in the sport.
During an interview with the BBC, Richard Gould, the Chief Executive of the ECB, lauded this move as "the initial step" toward achieving greater gender equality in the sport.
