In a groundbreaking decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that the champions of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup will receive the same prize money as their male counterparts, marking a significant step towards gender equity in the sport. The decision, unveiled on Tuesday, September 17, was made during the ICC's annual conference in July.
The winning team in the upcoming tournament, set to take place in the United Arab Emirates, will be awarded USD 2.34 million. This represents a staggering 134% increase from the USD 1 million that Australia received for claiming their sixth title in South Africa in 2023. Similarly, the runners-up will now collect USD 1.17 million, a sharp rise compared to the USD 500,000 South Africa earned for reaching their first-ever final.
Semi-finalists who fall short of the final will also see their rewards increased, with each team receiving USD 675,000, up from the previous amount of USD 210,000 in 2023. The overall prize pool for the tournament will now total USD 7.95 million, a remarkable 225% increase from the previous edition's pool of USD 2.45 million. This edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup becomes the first in ICC history to achieve equal prize money, reaching this milestone nearly seven years ahead of the governing body’s original 2030 goal.
In a statement, the ICC emphasized that this move aligns with its strategy to prioritize and rapidly grow the women's game by 2032. "Teams will now receive equal prize money for equivalent finishing positions at comparable events, as well as the same amount for winning a match at those events," the statement added. The prize money for the Men's T20 World Cup in 2024 is higher solely due to the larger number of teams and matches in that tournament.
During the group stages of the Women's T20 World Cup, winners of individual games will receive USD 31,154. Additionally, the six teams eliminated before the semi-finals will split a pool of USD 1.35 million based on their rankings. Teams finishing third or fourth in their group will earn USD 270,000 each, while those ending up in fifth place will be awarded USD 135,000.
The ICC also announced a minor scheduling adjustment for the October 5 double-header in Sharjah. Australia will now face Sri Lanka in the afternoon game, while Bangladesh and England will play the evening match.