Women’s cricket prize money nearly quadruples as the sport becomes a magnet for global investment

Women’s cricket is undergoing a period of rapid change. From domestic competitions like The Hundred to global tournaments and infrastructure projects, governing bodies are working to build momentum and capitalise on growing interest.

Here, Isobel Netherwood explores how women’s cricket is evolving and what that means for the sport’s future on and off the field.

Momentum of The Hundred Women

Since launching in 2021, The Hundred has reshaped women’s cricket in the UK. In just five years, over one million fans have attended women’s matches — with 203,000 of those fans attending a cricket match for the first time. 

The double-header format — pairing women’s and men’s matches — has been a game-changer. Not only has it ensured prime-time coverage on Sky Sports and the BBC but in some cases women’s matches have taken precedence in the broadcast schedule. Cricket grounds have buzzed with music and fireworks, drawing over 100,000 fans to women’s fixtures in the past two seasons. 

Heather Knight, former England captain and London Spirit’s Hundred-winning skipper, said that she “cannot emphasise enough how much of a difference the Hundred has made to women’s cricket”. 

Salaries have also seen a significant uplift. The minimum payment for female players now matches that of their male counterparts at £28,000 — a symbolic and practical step towards pay parity. England’s Maia Bouchier noted that “The Hundred has set a new standard for what women’s cricket can look like when it’s properly supported”. 

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025

Following the Lionesses’ Euros win and the Red Roses’ Rugby World Cup triumph, women’s sport continues to reach new heights. The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup — co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka — only added to the momentum. With matches held in cities like Guwahati, Indore and Colombo, the tournament has embraced smaller venues to bring the game closer to communities.

The most striking development has been the fourfold increase in prize money for the Women’s Cricket World Cup from $3.5m (£2.59m) in 2022 to $13.88m (£10.26m) in 2025, surpassing the $10m (£7.53m) prize for the 2023 Men’s World Cup champions. This move signals the ICC’s intent to elevate the women’s game to equal footing. 

Broadcasting has also stepped up. JioStar — the official streaming partner — has secured major sponsors including Google, Unilever and the State Bank of India. Every match was broadcast live with start times optimised for subcontinental and global audiences.

The 2025 Cricket World Cup also marked a commercial turning point. For the first time, the ICC has decoupled sponsorships for men’s and women’s events, allowing the women’s tournament to stand as its own commercial product.

Endorsements are also booming with Indian star Jemimah Rodrigues joining Red Bull’s global athlete roster while Gray-Nicolls’ GEM collection — designed specifically for female cricketers — has gained traction with support from players like Maia Bouchier. These deals not only elevate the profiles of individual athletes but also reflect a broader shift in how brands are viewing women’s sport — as a powerful platform for engaging socially aware audiences.

The Indian team’s victory on home soil stands as a milestone for women’s cricket in India and beyond. Their historic win is expected inspire a new generation of athletes to pick up a bat and ball and instil the belief that female teams can compete at the highest level. Former India player and coach Sudha Shah — who guided the team to the 2005 final — said that she “can see a lot more girls coming to play cricket now. They have better facilities, better pay, better respect — things will only get better. Nothing succeeds like success”.

Real estate & infrastructure

Women’s cricket is growing beyond the pitch as counties across England invest in dedicated facilities for women’s teams. Surrey and Middlesex are developing secondary grounds while Warwickshire’s Bears Women now call Edgbaston home as part of a new professional structure with upgraded training and performance facilities. 

Perhaps the most ambitious project is the Farington cricket facility in Lancashire. Set to open in 2026, it will serve as a Women’s Centre of Excellence — featuring two top-quality cricket ovals and a training hub for community, recreational and youth cricket. This will become Lancashire Cricket’s second home after Emirates Old Trafford. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has invested £1.6m — one of its largest ever investments — into the project which also supports disability cricket and access for state schools and local clubs. Culture Secretary Lisa Nancy says that the aim is for the facility to “become a focal point for women and girls’ cricket”.

Complementing this is the country’s second all-weather cricket dome at Darwen Cricket Club in Lancashire. Designed for year-round play, the dome is a significant breakthrough for grassroots access in the North West — especially for state school pupils. ECB chair Richard Thompson said that “domes like this are a vital part of our plan to create a lasting legacy from hosting the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup… By working with a range of partners, we hope to build many more facilities like this across England and Wales to throw open cricket’s doors and help cricket become the most inclusive team sport”. 

Darwen’s dome follows a successful launch in Bradford in 2023 which — in addition to being used by the community — has served the Yorkshire and Northern Superchargers teams. Another dome in Willenhall, West Midlands, is nearing completion and the Government has pledged £1.5m to complete facilities in Luton and Farington which are expected to open in 2026.

The impact of Women’s Premier League growth

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has rapidly expanded since its 2023 launch, growing from one to four host cities in just two years. It runs outside of the men’s Indian Premier League (IPL), allowing it to build its own identity and attract dedicated audiences and sponsors. While its media rights are valued below the IPL, the WPL’s independent schedule and rising sponsorships signal a promising future for women’s cricket.

Furthermore, the recent entry of IPL and WPL team owners into The Hundred brings significant benefits. Reliance Group (Mumbai Indians) partnered with Oval Invincibles while GMR Group (Delhi Capitals) acquired a 49% stake in Southern Brave. Nita M. Ambani of Reliance commented that their partnership will “expand our MI fan base across India, New York, the UAE, South Africa and now England — ushering in a new chapter of our global cricketing journey”. 

This influx of Indian investment is financially strengthening English cricket. In turn, this can be leveraged to further professionalise the WPL and cross-promote the WPL and The Hundred, creating more international exposure and raising the standard of women’s cricket.

Greater Manchester Cricket League

We’ve been involved with the Greater Manchester Cricket League (GMCL) since its inception in 2016. Today, the league features 12 open-age divisions on Saturdays, a similar number on Sundays, seven cup competitions, four GMCL20 competitions and age-group cricket for boys and girls ranging from under-9s to under-18s.

The GMCL women’s section has grown exponentially since its launch in 2023. It now runs a winter indoor league for over 20 teams, a summer softball league with an ever-expanding team base and has taken on responsibility for the Lancashire girls’ age-group inter-league organisation.

An increasing number of women and girls are also competing in the GMCL open divisions. Notable examples include England star and ‘No Balls’ podcaster Kate Cross who plays for Heywood in Premier League 2, Derbyshire’s Caitlin McDonald who opens the bowling for Greenfield Cricket Club in Division 3 and GMCL’s Director of Women & Girls Olivia Kay who plays for Woodbank’s second team.

Several clubs across the region now operate women’s and girls’ hard ball teams. However, the geographical spread of these clubs makes it difficult to establish localised competition. For example, Greenfield Cricket Club — situated on the border of Lancashire and West Yorkshire — must compete in the Cheshire Women’s League alongside teams from several counties. The hope is that more hard ball teams will emerge, enabling competitive divisional cricket to be organised on a more regional basis.

What’s coming in the future?

Momentum continues to build with participation among women and girls in cricket rising by over 20% in 2024. With the ICC expanding its calendar — adding two teams to the 2029 ODI World Cup and introducing the T20 Champions Trophy in 2027 — there will be a women’s global tournament every year. This regularity is key to growing visibility and fanbases.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould has said that “getting a capacity crowd for a women's Hundred fixture at some point in the next couple of years has to be a target for us”. This may allow for the current non-host counties to hold fixtures for The Hundred at their own stadiums. For example, Sussex’s County Ground could occasionally host the Southern Brave Women’s team while Derbyshire’s County Ground could host the Trent Rockets Women’s team.

At the grassroots level, the infrastructure boom — domes, hubs and community grounds — is laying the foundation for a more inclusive and accessible game. Engagement is surging thanks to the introduction of the entry-level All Stars initiative and Dynamos cricket to club-specific programmes and leagues such as the Greater Manchester Cricket League. As more girls see cricket as a viable path — both recreationally and professionally — the sport’s poised to become one of the most inclusive team sports in the UK and beyond.

Still, progress doesn’t mean the job is done just yet. Campaigns like ‘Her Game Too’ highlight that while opportunities for women and girls in cricket have grown, barriers and outdated attitudes persist. Their mission is to promote equality, challenge discrimination and inspire confidence so that female players feel accepted and respected at every level of the game. Cricket is heading in the right direction, but true inclusivity will require continued effort and collective action.

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