Fair play

In a landmark moment for the empowerment of sportswomen, BCCI — the world’s richest cricket board — on Thursday put women cricketers on the same pedestal as men with its decision of paying both genders the same international match fee. Marking this year’s third such big step towards bridging the huge gender gap plaguing the sports field worldwide, it is a massive step forward for the women’s game. It will inspire many more girls — and, with their parents acquiescing — to take to professional cricket. In July, New Zealand’s cricket body had ensured fair play as it recognised the equal hard work and dedication put in by its women players. Four months before that, the national women footballers of the US had secured for themselves the game-changing verdict of equal compensation after a six-year legal battle with their federation.

Notably, the BCCI’s historic step should address certain misgivings nursed by misogynistic sceptics and blaze the trail for women cricketers as it did for the Men in Blue after 1983. Like the lure of lucre propelled many Haryana girls to break the taboo and take to wrestling and other sports in a big way after the Phogat sisters scripted success stories, the BCCI move is likely to trigger the grooming of many more young girls dreaming of sporting the national jersey. The competitive spirit thus engendered should widen the pool of talent and lead to stronger dream teams vying for global honours, popularity and branding. This, in turn, should forge the trajectory of star women players garnering payback in terms of better endorsements and sponsorships for cricket tournaments in all formats. The board’s decision comes at the right juncture, when our present lot of women cricketers is in good form and peaking.

Pay parity will definitely spur the girls further. After all, the difference in the earnings is staggeringly unfair: while the top (A+ category) male cricketer scoops up a cool Rs 7-crore annual contract, the top (A) woman player gets a mere Rs 50 lakh, which is half of what her lowest-ranked male counterpart receives. This step should carve the way for all other games, too.