'We Got Rs 1,000 Per Match' - Mithali Raj’s shocking revelation about the 2005 World Cup resurfaces
Mithali Raj revealed that India’s women cricketers received only Rs 1,000 per match during the 2005 World Cup, highlighting how far the game has progressed since then.
Women's cricket in India has reached new heights. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian women's cricket team created history as they won the Women's World Cup 2025, their first world title. The victory came with record-breaking rewards, India earned USD 4.48 million (around Rs 39.78 crore), the largest prize money in Cricket World Cup history, and an additional Rs 51 crore as bonus from the BCCI.
However, things were very different in the past. Legendary cricketer Mithali Raj, who is still India’s highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, recently spoke about the struggles during her early playing days. In an interview earlier this year, Mithali revealed that when India finished runners-up in the 2005 Women’s World Cup, the players received only Rs 1,000 per match. Her words have once again reminded fans of how far women’s cricket has come.
Between 1973 and 2006, women’s cricket in India was governed by the Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI) before merging with the BCCI in November 2006. During that period, the players faced several hardships and little recognition for their efforts, as Mithali revealed in a heartfelt interview.
Mithali Raj Opens Up on Life Before BCCI Merger
“There were no annual contracts. There were no match fees. When we finished runners-up in the Women's World Cup 2005, we were given Rs 1,000 per match. Just for that tournament. We didn’t have any match fees otherwise,” Mithali shared, recalling the challenges of the early years.
“There was absolutely no money in the sport, so where would we get match fees from? These (match fees and annual contracts) started when things came under the BCCI. First, we were given per series, then per game, and only recently has there been pay equity with the men's team,” she added.
See Also: South Africa captain tops ICC Women’s ODI batting rankings after record World Cup 2025
In October 2022, then BCCI Secretary Jay Shah made a historic announcement, both men’s and women’s players would receive equal match fees. This meant Rs 15 lakh per Test, Rs 6 lakh per ODI, and Rs 3 lakh per T20I. Mithali’s old remarks show how much women’s cricket in India has grown, from Rs 1,000 per match to equal pay and global glory.
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