The India Women's cricket team receives crores of rupees as prize money from both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for winning the World Cup 2025, defeating the South Africa Women's team in the final of the tournament. As the winner, Team India received approx. Rs 39.55 crore from ICC, in addition to another huge amount of money from BCCI.

In a press release, BCCI informed, "To honor this unprecedented success, the BCCI has announced a cash reward of INR 51 crore for the players, support staff, and selection committee in recognition of their remarkable performance, dedication, and contribution to the nation's sporting glory."

Now, from the game, men or women, any cricketer can fetch a handsome amount of money. But the situation was not the same two decades ago. In a recent interview, former India skipper Mithali Raj made some shocking comments. She claimed that, during the 2005 World Cup, when the India Women's team became the runners-up, they received only Rs 1,000 per match. As they played 8 matches in the tournament, they got only Rs 8,000.

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Mithali Raj made shocking revelation when they played the 2005 World Cup

It was a shocking revelation; no one could imagine that massive gap between the two decades in Indian women's cricket. "When we became runners-up of the 2005 Women’s World Cup, we got just ₹8,000 for the entire tournament, ₹1,000 per match," Mithali Raj said.  

Mithali Raj: “When we became runners up of the 2005 Women’s World Cup we got just ₹8,000 for the entire tournament ₹1,000 per match.”

These women cricketers have struggled a lot man. Thanks to Jay Shah because of him, women cricketers now get equal pay to men. pic.twitter.com/GuPnTBDW2w

— ADITYA (@Wxtreme10) November 3, 2025

In the final of the Women's World Cup 2005, India was up against Australia; Mithali Raj was then the captain. It was a low-scoring match. The Australia Women's team went to bat first in the first innings and scored only 215 runs in exchange for 4 wickets. India faced a batting disaster when they went to chase the target. They managed to score only 117 runs before losing all of their scalps; the Australia Women's team lifted the World Cup 2005 trophy.