The Indian women’s cricket team has made history by winning the Women’s World Cup 2025,  their first-ever World Cup title. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the team’s victory has not only brought pride to the nation but also a record-breaking prize amount. India won USD 4.48 million (around ₹39.78 crore), the highest ever in Cricket World Cup history. On top of that, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a reward of ₹51 crore for the team’s outstanding achievement.

However, things were not always this good for women’s cricket in India. Former Indian captain and legendary batter Mithali Raj, who holds the record for being the highest run-scorer in women’s ODI cricket, once shared how different things used to be during her playing days. In an interview, she revealed that when India finished as runners-up in the 2005 Women’s World Cup, each player received only ₹1,000 per match, and that too just for that tournament.

At that time, women’s cricket in India was managed by the Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI), from 1973 until 2006. There were no annual contracts or match fees for the players. Mithali said that there was hardly any money in the sport back then, and players continued playing purely out of passion and commitment.

Things began to change only after the WCAI merged with the BCCI in 2006. Under the BCCI, women cricketers started receiving payments per series and later per match. Over time, women’s cricket grew in visibility, popularity, and financial support.

A major milestone came in October 2022 when then-BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced equal match fees for both men and women players. Now, every player in the Indian team earns ₹15 lakh for a Test match, ₹6 lakh for an ODI, and ₹3 lakh for a T20I, a big step toward equality in Indian cricket. The journey of women’s cricket in India has truly come full circle, from players earning just ₹1,000 per match to lifting the World Cup and taking home crores in prize money.