In a landmark move, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the winners of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup will receive the same prize money as the victors of the men’s tournament earlier this year.
This historic decision, made at the ICC Annual Conference in July 2023, marks the first time in cricket history that women will be awarded equal prize money to their male counterparts in a World Cup event.
The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, set to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will see the winning team receive a staggering $2.34 million, a 134% increase from the $1 million awarded to Australia for their triumph in South Africa in 2023.
The runners-up will also benefit from a significant pay rise, with their prize money jumping 134% to $1.17 million, up from the $500,000 earned by South Africa in the previous edition.
The ICC’s decision to achieve prize money equity seven years ahead of its original 2030 target aligns with its strategy to prioritize the growth of women’s cricket by 2032.
This move ensures that teams will now receive equal prize money for equivalent finishing positions in comparable events, as well as the same amount for winning individual matches.
“This move is in line with the ICC’s strategy to prioritise the women’s game and accelerate its growth by 2032,” the ICC stated in a press release. “Teams will now receive equal prize money for the equivalent finishing position at comparable events as well as the same amount for winning a match at those events.”
The overall prize pool for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup has seen a remarkable 225% increase, rising from $2.45 million in 2023 to a staggering $7,958,080 this year. The two losing semi-finalists will each earn $675,000, a significant jump from the $210,000 awarded in the previous edition.
During the group stages, the winner of each match will receive $31,154, while the six teams eliminated before the semi-finals will share a pool of $1.35 million based on their final standings.
The teams finishing third or fourth in their respective groups will take home $270,000 each, while the fifth-placed teams will receive $135,000.
The ICC has also announced a minor schedule change for the October 5 double-header in Sharjah. Australia will now face Sri Lanka in the afternoon game, followed by Bangladesh taking on England in the evening slot.
This historic decision by the ICC underscores its commitment to gender equality and its determination to drive the growth and development of women’s cricket on the global stage.
