General News: ICC raises Women's World Cup prize money to $2 million

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) took giant strides to popularise women's cricket ahead of the upcoming 2017 World Cup in England by increasing the prize money to $2 million, ten times the amount that was awarded in the last edition in 2013.

"The ICC Women's World Cup is the pinnacle of the women's game and as such the players should be rewarded appropriately," David Richardson, the ICC chief executive, said on Thursday (May 4). "Two million dollars is the first step towards greater parity and recognition. The prize fund for the 2013 edition was just $200,000, and this announcement shows a greater level of commitment than ever before.

"The change will not happen overnight but the women's game is crucial to the global growth of cricket. There is undoubtedly an audience for it - there were almost 18 million views of highlights of the Women's World Cup Qualifier earlier this year - and we need to grow that further. There is greater depth in the women's game and that is leading to increased competitiveness which is what fans want to see."

The ICC has also announced that Decision Review System (DRS) will be put in place for the first time in women's cricket during the eight-team tournament starting June 24. In addition, 10 matches will be broadcasted live on television while the remaining 21 matches will be live-streamed for the viewers.

"We think the Women's World Cup this summer will be a turning point in the history of the game," Richardson gushed. "There is growing interest globally in women's sports and we want cricket to be front and centre of this and lead by example."

The ICC has decided to extensively enhance the viewing experience and will use Spidercam and drone cameras for the final at Lord's on July 23.

Clare Connor, the chair of ICC Women's Committee, praised the ICC for taking extensive measures to promote women's cricket. "I am delighted with the commitment shown to the growth of the women's game by the ICC," she said. "The significant uplift in prize money since 2013 and the ambition of future parity, along with every game being broadcast is a huge moment for the sport.

"To recognize the players in this way demonstrates the value women's cricket can add to the game globally and I know we'll see some exceptional cricket this summer that can grow our fan-base around the world."

The tournament will start from June 24 with hosts England taking on India and New Zealand facing off against Sri Lanka on the opening day. The eight-team tournament will also feature Australia, South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan.

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