Gender pay gap in cricket angers Indians
- Published
image copyrightGetty ImagesIndians have expressed outrage on Twitter after data from the cricket board showed that men players will earn 14 times more money than women.
Top players of the men's team will earn 70m rupees ($1.07m; £774,900) each per year, while women in the same category will make 5m rupees ($76,950; £55,344).
The board announced the new contracts for both teams on Wednesday.
The pay gap has remained despite great performances from women's team, including reaching the World Cup final.
Many on social media found it ironic that the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced this "huge pay gap" a day before International Women's Day.
Dear @BCCI please show your appreciation for women's cricket by reducing this appalling pay gap. And please negotiate contracts for telecast of their matches. We have an excellent team that a lot of us fans regret not being able to watch perform regularly. pic.twitter.com/rlPMmuTtcU
— Nikhil Mehra (@TweetinderKaul) March 7, 2018
Important point here is why such huge pay gap between men and women cricketers??? Isn't it bcci's responsibility to promote women's cricket as well..... It should first start with equal pay so as to attract talent... @sachin_rt @imVkohli @msdhoni
— Amod Vaze (@asvaze) March 8, 2018
Tomorrow is international women's day. #IWD2018
— Chandramouli Dorai (@moulidorai) March 7, 2018
Gender pay gap perfectly explained by Board of Control for Cricket in India. #BCCI
Gender neutral pay equity is always a joke! pic.twitter.com/bL3MlifGBO
Skills matter
Some people pointed out that men's national team plays more matches than the women's and brings in more advertising revenue for the board.
I am really up for equal pay for equal work but the pay gap in the Indian Cricket is justified. I mean clearly the men's team bring 5 times or more the revenue than the women's team. How could you even expect them to be paid equal then?
— Raj Singh (@Funkedyou) March 7, 2018
But many feel that that this can't be given as a reason for the massive difference pay and remuneration should be based on skills.
Why there is a so much pay gap between men & women ??? I feel @BCCI is not giving importance to game of cricket, rather reward is based on the principle from where they are earning more revenue. @MitaliRaj2 @imVkohli
— Priyadarshan Behera (@topdb) March 7, 2018
@BCCI I think cricket is a game of skill. Be it men or women sweating out it similar, then why this pay gap?@imVkohli and @M_Raj03 represent team India. They deserve equal pay.#genderneutral pay is the right way
— @DuSRaV (@DurgaSrinivasV) March 8, 2018
Fight for equal pay
Gender pay gap also exists in other cricket boards.
Sportswomen like tennis star Sarena Williams and England cricketer Tammy Beaumont have been campaigning for equal pay in sports.
But many say much more needs to be done to achieve equal pay for men and women in sports.