For decades, cricket was seen as a “gentleman’s game.” But today, a new era has begun, one led by the world’s richest female cricketers, who are redefining the sport both on and off the field. From record-breaking salaries in the Women’s Premier League to global endorsement deals, these athletes are proving that women’s cricket is not just about passion, it’s about power, performance, and prosperity.
Yet, this transformation didn’t happen overnight. Women’s cricket has battled years of neglect, limited funding, and lack of recognition compared to the men’s game. What began as a humble pursuit in the early 1900s has now become a billion-rupee industry, with rising media attention, corporate sponsorships, and growing fan support worldwide.
As the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup unfolds with its biggest prize pool yet, it marks more than just a tournament, it represents equality in motion.
Let’s explore how the sport evolved, the challenges it overcame, and the inspiring rise of the richest female cricketers in the world.
Origins of Women’s Cricket: A Brief History
Long before the world started celebrating the richest female cricketers, women were quietly shaping the sport’s earliest chapters. The first recorded women’s cricket match took place in England in 1745, a village game between Bramley and Hambledon marking the humble beginnings of what would later become a global movement.
By the late 19th century, organized women’s teams had begun to form across England and Australia. In 1926, the Women’s Cricket Association (WCA) was established in England, creating formal competitions and tours that gave structure to the game. Just eight years later, the first Women’s Test series was played between England and Australia (1934-35), a milestone that cemented women’s cricket in the international arena.
India’s Early Beginnings
In India, women’s cricket took root nearly four decades later. The Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI) was founded in 1973, and the national team played its first international match in 1976 against the West Indies. These pioneers travelled economy class, stitched their own jerseys, and played for little or no pay but their commitment built the foundation for today’s stars like Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
The First World Cup Came Before the Men’s
Few realise that the first Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in 1973, two years before the men’s version. Organised largely through private funding, the tournament showcased resilience more than resources. England lifted the trophy, but the real victory was the recognition that women’s cricket deserved a stage of its own.
Global Expansion and Professionalisation
Through the 1980s and 1990s, more nations joined in; New Zealand, the Caribbean islands, South Africa, and later Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Yet the real turning point came in the 2000s, when national boards began merging women’s and men’s associations under one umbrella. This integration gave women’s cricket better funding, access to facilities, and international scheduling.
What started as a grassroots pursuit led by passion has now transformed into a global profession. The evolution from community grounds to stadium lights reflects more than just sporting growth. It mirrors the changing place of women in society. Today’s richest female cricketers stand on the shoulders of those early pioneers who played not for money, but for dignity and recognition.
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Struggles and Disparities: Women’s Game vs Men’s Game
The road to producing the richest female cricketers was far from smooth. Behind every televised final and multi-crore league deal lies a story of decades-long inequality, one defined by limited opportunities, lower pay, and social barriers that once kept women off the pitch altogether.
Funding and Facilities
For much of the 20th century, women’s teams operated on shoestring budgets. Players often paid their own travel costs, borrowed equipment from local clubs, and trained on under-maintained grounds. Even after joining national boards, funding gaps persisted. Until the early 2010s, many women representing their countries were still juggling full-time jobs to afford their cricketing ambitions, a contrast to male cricketers whose central contracts ensured stable income and professional support systems.
Pay and Visibility Gaps
The most visible disparity remains financial. While male stars command million-dollar sponsorships and league bids, even top-tier women earned a fraction of that until recently. In India, for instance, the 2023 BCCI announcement of equal match fees (₹15 lakh per Test, ₹6 lakh per ODI, ₹3 lakh per T20I) was a historic correction, but central contracts still differ widely in overall structure and endorsement opportunities. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has begun bridging this gap yet the highest-paid women’s cricketer still earns less than many mid-tier male players in the IPL.
Media, Sponsorship, and Perception
For years, women’s cricket rarely made front-page headlines. Matches were seldom televised, and sponsors were hesitant to invest in teams that lacked broadcast visibility. That cycle of invisibility slowed the sport’s commercial growth, fewer eyeballs meant fewer sponsors, leading to fewer matches. The turning point came with landmark tournaments such as the 2017 Women’s World Cup final at Lord’s, which drew record viewership and shattered old perceptions about “interest levels” in women’s cricket.
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Societal and Cultural Barriers
In many parts of the world, including India, women cricketers had to fight social stereotypes from questions about “feminine sports” to resistance from families or institutions that viewed cricket as a men’s domain. Yet these challenges forged resilience. Figures like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and Ellyse Perry became symbols of what determination can achieve in the face of systemic bias.
The rise of the richest female cricketers today is not merely a financial success story, it’s the culmination of decades of perseverance against the odds. The world is now watching, investing, and finally valuing their craft, but the struggle that built this foundation deserves equal applause.
The Surge: Women’s Cricket on the Rise – Earnings, Leagues and Visibility
After decades of slow progress, the past ten years have transformed women’s cricket into one of the fastest-growing sports industries. The turning point came when boards, broadcasters, and brands finally began recognising its commercial potential. What was once considered a niche is now producing record-breaking contracts and laying the groundwork for today’s richest female cricketers.
Leagues That Changed the Game
The 2010s introduced franchise-style leagues that redefined women’s earnings. Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), launched in 2015, was the first to offer consistent salaries and nationwide broadcast coverage. It gave players like Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning household-name status and paved the way for other nations.
England followed with The Hundred, where equal match fees were introduced in 2023, a first for a professional mixed-gender league. But the most influential leap came from India: the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Its inaugural season in 2023 sold media rights worth ₹951 crore to Viacom18 and auctioned players for sums never imagined before. Smriti Mandhana became the highest-paid player at ₹3.4 crore, a figure that symbolised the beginning of financial parity.
Central Contracts and Sponsorship Booms
Cricket boards have also overhauled player contracts. India’s central-contract system now guarantees women the same match fees as men, ₹15 lakh per Test, ₹6 lakh per ODI, and ₹3 lakh per T20I signalling an institutional shift. Similar reforms in Australia and England have lifted annual retainers to six-figure USD levels.
Endorsements have followed suit. Brands in fashion, fintech, and health are rushing to sign athletes who represent both excellence and equality. Mandhana endorses Gulf Oil, Hero Motocorp, and Red Bull; Ellyse Perry collaborates with Adidas and CommBank; and India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur fronts Puma’s women-centric campaigns. The crossover appeal of these players is blurring the line between sports stardom and mainstream celebrity.
Broadcasting and Audience Growth
Visibility has been the catalyst. According to ICC reports, the 2023 T20 Women’s World Cup reached over 180 million viewers worldwide, the highest ever for a women’s cricket event. Social-media engagement for WPL franchises rivals that of IPL teams, proving that audience appetite is strong when access exists. Digital streaming and YouTube highlights have brought young fans, especially in India and Southeast Asia, closer to their favourite players.
Why It Matters
This surge is more than a financial success story, it’s cultural validation. For generations, women played for recognition; now they play for rightful reward. Each broadcast deal, sold-out stadium, and sponsorship renewal reinforces that women’s cricket isn’t an afterthought, it’s a prime-time product.
Still, the journey continues. The wage gap hasn’t disappeared, but it’s shrinking faster than ever. As grassroots programs expand and franchise systems grow globally, the financial pyramid for female cricketers is widening at the base and soaring at the top. The richest female cricketers of today are only the beginning of a much larger transformation, one that’s turning dreams once deferred into sustainable, celebrated careers.
Who Are the Richest Female Cricketers in the World?
The term “richest female cricketers” once sounded like an oxymoron. For decades, women’s cricket was driven by love for the game, not lucrative contracts. But today, it represents one of sport’s most exciting financial success stories, proof that visibility, performance, and persistence can reshape economics.
Let’s look at the cricketers who’ve broken barriers, built brands, and earned their place among the richest female cricketers in the world as of 2025.
| Player | Country | Position | Estimated Net Worth (₹) | Key Highlights & Income Sources |
| Ellyse Perry | Australia | All-rounder | 120 crore | One of the world’s greatest all-rounders; top WBBL salary, Cricket Australia central contract, Adidas & CommBank endorsements. |
| Meg Lanning | Australia | Captain and Skipper | 75.48 crore | Former Australian captain; seven ICC titles; Nike & Asics partnerships; coaching and commentary roles. |
| Mithali Raj | India | Former Captain & Batter | ₹43 crore | Indian legend; record ODI runs; film Shabaash Mithu royalties; commentary & brand endorsements. |
| Smriti Mandhana | India | Stylish Opener | ₹35 crore | WPL’s most-expensive player (₹3.4 cr); Hero MotoCorp, Red Bull & Gulf Oil endorsements. |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | India | Current Captain | ₹26 crore | India’s T20I captain; WPL Mumbai Indians captain; deals with Puma & CEAT. |
| Sarah Taylor | England | Wicket Keeper | ₹17 crore | Former England keeper; coach, commentator & mental-health advocate; Gray-Nicolls brand consultant. |
| Holly Ferling | Australia | Fast Bowler | ₹13 crore | Australian pacer turned commentator; Cricket Australia contract & broadcast career. |
| Isa Guha | England | Bowler | ₹13 crore | Retired bowler; now BBC & Sky Sports anchor; major media personality & commentator. |
| Sana Mir | Pakistan | Former Captain & All-rounder | ₹11 crore | Former Pakistan captain; ESPN pundit & UN Women ambassador; brand collaborations in Pakistan. |
| Dane van Niekerk | South Africa | All-Rounder | ₹9 crore | Former SA captain; WBBL & The Hundred contracts; coaching roles & sponsorship deals. |
Source: The Daily Jagran (19 Feb 2025)
2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup: A Game-Changer for Female Cricketers’ Earnings
The 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup is currently underway, and it’s proving to be one of the most defining tournaments in the sport’s history. Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the event has already shattered audience and revenue records marking a turning point for both the women’s game and the future earnings of the richest female cricketers.
Record Prize Pool and Global Reach
This year’s World Cup carries a record prize purse of USD 13.8 million (≈ ₹115 crore), the highest ever for a women’s ICC event. The winning team will take home close to USD 7 million, while every participating nation benefits from equal appearance and performance-based payouts.
Global broadcasters Star Sports, Disney+ Hotstar, and Amazon Prime Sports have reported exceptional viewership, with cumulative global audiences expected to cross 200 million by the semi-final stage, a milestone that surpasses the 2017 Lord’s final by a wide margin. The sport’s reach has clearly expanded beyond regional boundaries.
India at the Centre of the Momentum
As co-host, India has become the economic and emotional heart of this World Cup. Stadiums in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Colombo have seen packed stands and record ticket sales. The buzz around the event rivals the IPL, proving how far women’s cricket has come in fan loyalty and commercial value.
For Indian stars like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Deepti Sharma, the World Cup is both a sporting and financial peak. Their on-field heroics have led to renewed sponsorships from brands like Hero MotoCorp, Puma, and H&M, while media coverage and digital campaigns have boosted their overall brand valuations. These players are now closing in on the upper ranks of the richest female cricketers in the world.
Brand Collaborations and Franchise Crossover
The World Cup’s success is also feeding back into the Women’s Premier League (WPL) ecosystem. Franchise owners are capitalising on the ongoing excitement by releasing co-branded merchandise, NFTs, and limited-edition kits. Major brands from fintech to lifestyle have tailored World Cup-themed ads featuring top women players, signalling confidence in the sport’s growing commercial muscle.
Equality in Action
This World Cup is also a statement of intent from the ICC, which has implemented equal prize money for men’s and women’s tournaments, a milestone in cricket’s long journey toward parity. Beyond the top stars, the ripple effect is reaching grassroots levels: higher match fees, better central contracts, and more investment in domestic infrastructure are now on the horizon.
The ongoing 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup is not just a celebration of athletic excellence, it’s a live demonstration of what equality looks like in action. The financial ecosystem built around it will redefine how future generations of women cricketers earn, inspire, and dominate both on the scoreboard and on the balance sheet.
What This Means for the Future: Women’s Cricket and Commercial Potential
The 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup has shown the world what happens when investment, infrastructure, and intent align. For the first time, women’s cricket isn’t being framed as a cause, it’s being recognised as a commercial force. And that shift will shape the next generation of the richest female cricketers in ways we’ve never seen before.
Sustainable Pay and Expanding Leagues
The combination of central contracts, franchise salaries, and brand deals finally creates sustainable careers. Boards like the BCCI, Cricket Australia, and ECB have already moved toward parity in match fees, and now more nations are expected to follow. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) in India, the WBBL in Australia, The Hundred in England, and South Africa’s Women’s T20 League are collectively building a global calendar where athletes can earn throughout the year. This interconnected ecosystem could soon produce women cricketers with multi-million-dollar annual incomes, a concept unimaginable a decade ago.
Corporate and Media Transformation
Sponsors have recognised that female athletes offer authenticity and cultural influence that resonates with younger audiences. FMCG, fintech, and lifestyle brands are rewriting their advertising playbooks to feature women’s teams as equal ambassadors.
Streaming platforms and digital media, too, are driving a new kind of visibility, one where highlight reels, analytics, and fan-driven engagement give women players year-round exposure, further increasing their commercial worth.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Perhaps the biggest outcome is symbolic. Girls from small towns in India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka now see cricket not as a gamble, but as a goal. The rise of the richest female cricketers signals that gender no longer limits ambition; performance and personality do.
As brands invest, broadcasters expand coverage, and fans keep filling stadiums, the trajectory is clear, women’s cricket is not catching up; it’s creating its own powerful economy. The next billion-rupee contracts are no longer a dream. They’re the new reality of a sport finally valuing its women equally.
Final Thoughts
From the dusty pitches of the 1970s to sold-out stadiums in 2025, the journey of women’s cricket has been nothing short of remarkable. What began as a passion project run on limited budgets has evolved into a billion-rupee industry built on resilience, talent, and belief.
The richest female cricketers today stand not only as elite athletes but as entrepreneurs, investors, and cultural icons. Their achievements prove that equal opportunity fuels excellence, and that women’s sport is no longer a side story, it’s the main event.
The ongoing 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup has cemented this transformation, showcasing both sporting brilliance and commercial power. With rising sponsorships, expanding leagues, and growing fan loyalty, the foundation is set for a future where women cricketers command the same global stature as their male counterparts.
In every sense, this is more than just a new chapter for women’s cricket, it’s a rewritten history of equality, ambition, and financial empowerment. And the best part? The story has only just begun.
FAQs
Who is the richest female cricketer?
As of 2025, Ellyse Perry from Australia is the richest female cricketer in the world, with an estimated net worth of around ₹120 crore (≈ USD 14 million) from cricket contracts, endorsements, and brand partnerships.
Who is the highest paid woman in WPL?
Smriti Mandhana is the highest paid player in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), earning ₹3.4 crore with Royal Challengers Bangalore during the inaugural 2023 season.
Who is the richest female cricketer in India?
Mithali Raj is the richest Indian female cricketer, with an estimated net worth of about ₹43 crore, built from her long international career, endorsements, and post-retirement commentary and media work.
Who is the most successful woman in cricket?
Meg Lanning of Australia is widely regarded as the most successful woman in cricket, having captained her team to seven ICC titles, including multiple World Cups and T20 championships.
