The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a cash prize of ₹51 crore for the Indian women’s cricket team after their historic ICC Women’s World Cup victory. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side defeated South Africa in the final to claim India’s first-ever world title in both ODI and T20I formats.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia made the announcement, calling the achievement a proud moment for Indian cricket. He said, “Since Jay Shah took charge of the BCCI as secretary from 2019 to 2024, he has implemented many changes in women’s cricket, including addressing pay parity. Last month, ICC Chairman Jay Shah increased the women’s prize money by 300 per cent, raising it from $2.88 million to $14 million. These initiatives have significantly promoted women’s cricket. BCCI has also announced a prize of Rs 51 crore for the entire team, including players, coaches, and support staff."

ICC Prize Money Sees Record Increase

India’s victory also brought in significant earnings from the ICC. The team received USD 4.48 million (around ₹40 crore) as prize money — a remarkable rise compared to the USD 1.32 million (₹12 crore) Australia won three years earlier.

The runner-up, South Africa, earned USD 2.24 million (₹20 crore), while the two semifinalists received USD 1.12 million (₹10 crore) each. This marks a sharp increase from USD 300,000 (₹2.7 crore) given to losing semifinalists in 2022.

Overall, the 2025 Women’s World Cup had a total prize pool of USD 13.88 million (₹123 crore) — almost four times more than the USD 3.5 million (₹31 crore) in the previous edition held in New Zealand. Remarkably, this amount even surpassed the USD 10 million (₹89 crore) prize fund for the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup.

A New Era for Women’s Cricket

Drawing parallels to India’s iconic 1983 men’s World Cup win, Saikia praised the women’s team for inspiring a new generation. He said, “In 1983, Kapil Dev ushered in a new era of cricket by leading India to a World Cup victory. Today, the women’s team has created similar excitement. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team have not only won the trophy but also the hearts of all Indians. They have inspired the next generation of women cricketers. Women’s cricket achieved a new milestone when our team triumphed over Australia in the semifinals."

The win marks a defining moment for Indian women’s cricket — one that celebrates hard work, equality, and the growing global recognition of female athletes in the sport.