The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made a historic announcement, introducing equal prize money for men’s and women’s tournaments. This landmark decision, revealed on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, marks a significant milestone in gender equality within the sport. For the first time, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 will feature the same prize money for female players as their male counterparts.
This groundbreaking change was decided during the ICC Annual Conference in July 2023, achieving the goal of prize money parity seven years ahead of the original target. With this move, cricket stands out as the only major team sport to offer equal prize money for both genders in World Cup events, reflecting a major step forward in the pursuit of gender equality in sports.
Under the new prize money structure, the winners of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup will earn $2.34 million, a substantial increase from the $1 million awarded to Australia in 2023. The runners-up will receive $1.17 million, more than double the amount South Africa received for reaching the final on home soil. Additionally, the two semi-finalists who do not advance to the final will each take home $675,000, marking a significant rise from last year’s prize amounts.
This decision not only highlights the ICC’s commitment to gender equality but also sets a new standard for other sports to follow, ensuring that female cricketers receive recognition and reward on par with their male counterparts.
